Full Story Why is Trump talking about nuclear weapons?
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Oct 31, 2025 
Jonathan Czin, former director for China at the US National Security Council and a Brookings Institution fellow, offers a riveting analysis of Trump's provocative nuclear post just before his meeting with Xi Jinping. He explains the intricate orchestration behind US-China meetings and the significance of Trump's respect toward Xi. Czin also discusses the implications of rare earths and the Taiwan issue, suggesting that the US holds an uneasy ceasefire with China while navigating complex power dynamics.
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Diplomacy Is Choreographed, Until Trump Shows Up
- High-level diplomatic meetings are meticulously scripted down to optics and positioning.
- Trump resists strict scripting, making encounters less predictable and more improvisational.
Diplomatic Planning Like Wedding Logistics
- Czin likened diplomatic planning to wedding planning: who walks in and where people stand.
- He compared Trump's unpredictability to a rock star who rejects riders and strict scripting.
Trump Treats Xi As A Peer At The Big Table
- Trump shows public respect for Xi and treats him as a peer at the "big boys" table.
- That deference shapes Trump's approach and rhetoric toward China and other strongmen.