Politics'Idiot' Donald Trump Mocked for Opening Xi Jinping's Notebook When He Walks Away: 'Did He Think He Could Magically Read Mandarin Chinese?'
Donald Trump was ruthlessly mocked for appearing to sneak a peek into Chinese President Xi's notebook when he wasn't looking.
May 15 2026, Published 2:37 p.m. ET
A viral social media clip appearing to show President Donald Trump sneaking a peek at Chinese President Xi Jinping’s notebook when he got up from the table has sparked widespread debate and ridicule for the 79-year-old POTUS.
The incident took place during Trump’s state visit to China. Video footage from the official state dinner at the Great Hall of the People captures the POTUS leaning over and opening a black leather folder near Jinping's seat right after the Chinese leader stood up.
While initial social media posts claimed Trump was snooping on Xi, subsequent footage and observers pointed out that the folder featured a U.S. presidential seal.
Donald Trump went to China for a few days.
Trump is seen grabbing the exact folder when he later stands up to deliver a toast.
Trump is seen grabbing the exact folder when he later stands up to deliver a toast.
Rather than classified documents or private notebook entries, some experts note the binder likely held routine event itineraries, menus, or speech materials placed near the seating boundary.
The clip quickly became an internet meme, with critics framing the moment as undignified and humorists comparing the interaction to a student peeking at a classmate's test paper.
One person called the president an 'idiot.'
“He’s an idiot,” said one, while another noted, “Donald wouldn’t bother trying to read Chinese.”
“It was a test, and ole Donnie dumb dumb failed it. This administration is so embarrassing,” quipped another.
"Did he think he could magically read Mandarin Chinese?" wondered many.
Others suggested that the Chinese were testing the American president and, well, he failed bigly.
“That was probably set up. This will be shown on their news all over China. It makes an American president look disgusting,” remarked another.
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Donald Trump called the president 'tall.'
“Someone told him there were n--- pictures of underage girls in there,” suggested someone else.
Others said it wasn’t anything to worry about because, well, Trump isn’t exactly an avid reader in English, never mind Mandarin.
“Probably not a problem. He can barely speak English, so he certainly can’t read Chinese,” snapped another.
Donald Trump gushed over the Chinese president.
Geopolitical analyst Sandip Mittal gave a more detailed, hilarious analysis of the event, saying, “Trump’s Internal Monologue: 'Let's just take a quick, perfect look here...Tremendous notebook — very beautiful paper. But folks, frankly, the handwriting is a disaster. Just a bunch of very complicated little drawings. No pictures of me. Not a single mention of my crowd sizes or the 2016 Electoral College map. Sad! Wait... let me look closer. Is this... is this the secret recipe for General Tso's? I knew it. He's holding out on the good chicken. I'm going to put a massive, beautiful tariff on this notebook until we get the chicken. The art of the deal, folks.'"
