GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Donald Mervin Small, 59, has been arrested in connection with an alleged burglary at a Gainesville art store. He is accused of smashing a window, taking more than $1,000 worth of merchandise and committing additional offenses involving marijuana, drug paraphernalia and trespassing-related conduct.
A Gainesville Police Department officer responded to Batesy Gallery at 718 N. Main Street on the morning of September 21 after receiving a burglary report. The storefront’s front glass had sustained extensive damage, including a large opening and further cracks in the left panel. The estimated repair cost was $3,950. The gallery, owned by former University of Florida football player James Bates, sells his artwork and clothing featuring his designs.
Investigators also reported that merchandise was missing from the business. The stolen items allegedly included 20 hats worth $40 apiece, eight $30 shirts and a $50 special-edition shirt, bringing the total reported merchandise loss to $1,090. Employees said the store had been locked and secured around 6 p.m. on September 20.
Later that day, Bates reportedly spotted a Black man wearing one of the gallery’s hats. An officer contacted Small, who allegedly identified himself as “Ronald Young.” Small reportedly claimed he had found the hats on North Main Street. He was carrying a bag with seven or eight hats resembling Batesy Gallery merchandise but declined to let the officer search it.
Police reviewed surveillance footage from the gallery on September 22. The video showed a Black man walking through a nearby parking lot during the early morning hours of September 21 before approaching the business. According to the officer, the individual’s build appeared consistent with Small’s.
A GPD detective later told the officer that he recognized the man seen wearing one of the hats and that his name was not Ronald Young. A sworn complaint was subsequently filed charging Small with burglary involving more than $1,000 in property damage, grand theft and providing a false name to a law enforcement officer.
Small also had an outstanding warrant for failing to appear at a June hearing related to a Notice to Appear. That notice stemmed from an allegation that he slept in a stairwell at the Downtown Parking Garage in May. On September 23, the detective saw Small downtown and alerted a uniformed patrol officer that he was wanted.
Officers later located Small riding a bicycle in the 100 block of West University Avenue. When police ordered him to stop, he allegedly rode away. Additional units joined the search, and officers reportedly detained Small in the 200 block of SW 2nd Avenue after his bicycle developed a flat tire.
Police said a search conducted after the arrest uncovered a small amount of marijuana and a device described as a “crack pipe.”
Beyond the burglary-related allegations, Small faces charges of resisting an officer without violence, possessing less than 20 grams of marijuana and possessing drug paraphernalia. Authorities list him as a designated career offender. His address is recorded as the former St. Francis House, and his criminal history includes 24 felony convictions—three involving violence—and 18 misdemeanor convictions, one of them violent. He has served eight state prison sentences and was most recently released in 2020. Judge Adam Lee set bail at $90,000.
Hurricane Polo Drenches Mexico’s Coast Offshore as Tropical Storm Nolo Nears Hawaii
MEXICO CITY — People along Mexico’s Pacific coast filled sandbags around beachfront businesses and fled vulnerable homes Thursday as Hurricane Polo threatened Mexico, while Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui prepared for potentially catastrophic flooding from a separate Pacific storm.
Nolo strengthened into a hurricane Thursday night and was forecast to intensify as it approached Hawaii’s Big Island, the National Hurricane Center reported. Forecasters warned that the island could receive 15 to 30 inches (38 to 76 centimeters) of rain, with isolated higher totals possible through Saturday. Maui also faced the risk of life-threatening flooding.
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AI Mural in Banksy’s Bristol Torn Down After Mistake-Filled Debut
An enormous AI-generated mural displayed on the wall of a pub in Banksy’s home city of Bristol has been removed after residents highlighted a string of obvious mistakes in the design.
The giant vinyl poster appeared on the Jolly Colliers pub in Bedminster, offering an inaccurate digital tour of Bristol’s best-known landmarks.
Among the artwork’s most notable errors was the SS Great Britain, which resembled a riverboat, while the Clifton Suspension Bridge was shown with an incorrect one-way traffic arrangement. The mural also featured a huge viaduct that does not exist.
The depiction of Cabot Tower was also wrong. Meanwhile, the colourful houses shown on the west side of Clifton Suspension Bridge are actually in Cliftonwood, on the opposite side of the city and overlooking Bristol harbour.
The AI design appeared to reference Banksy’s famous Bristol mural The Mild Mild West. However, instead of the well-known teddy bear throwing a petrol bomb, it showed a one-legged figure pointing.
The inaccuracies prompted an angry response from local residents, who appear to have taken matters into their own hands by tearing down the poster.
Images taken later showed the AI mural had been pulled from the pub’s side wall, leaving the Jolly Colliers without the controversial display.
The mural had triggered a fierce backlash among Bristol’s art community, particularly in the city associated with the internationally recognised street artist Banksy.
Pictured: The AI-generated mural attached to the side of a Bedminster pub, sparking anger across Bristol
Within days, the vinyl poster had been removed from the Jolly Colliers pub
Banksy, known for his distinctive stencilled spray-paint works, has achieved global recognition since emerging on the British art scene in the 1990s.
His politically charged pieces have addressed issues including British politics and society. Some have sold for tens of millions of pounds, cementing his status as one of the art world’s most influential figures.
The artist has consistently operated under a pseudonym, leading to years of speculation about his identity. Among those linked to the name Banksy is Robert Del Naja, a member of the band Massive Attack.
In 2008, The Mail on Sunday reported that Banksy was Robin Gunningham, who was born in Bristol in 1973.
The design appeared to have been printed onto a large sheet of vinyl before being fixed to the building.
Given Bristol’s international reputation for street art—and its strong connection to artists such as Banksy—the AI-generated mural quickly attracted attention.
Caroline Maggs, of the Bristol Mural Collective (BMC), told Bristol 24/7: “AI designs not only devalue but undermine the work of artists.”
She said the collective was “saddened and angered” that the Jolly Colliers had not chosen to support handmade artwork, adding: “We are small businesses, and as a small business themselves, they should have chosen better.”
Banksy’s original The Mild Mild West mural shows a teddy bear throwing a petrol bomb
The real SS Great Britain, depicted far less accurately in the AI-generated mural
The artist ‘Banksy’ was revealed in 2008 by The Mail on Sunday to in fact be a man named Robin Gunningham (pictured), who was born in Bristol in 1973. He has since changed his name to David Jones
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Should AI-generated art have a place in cities famed for their creative human communities?
‘In a climate where humans are being replaced by AI at an alarming rate, choosing art like this is not only an aesthetic choice but a political one.’
Ms Maggs said that having no mural on the pub would have been a better choice than the AI art.
She added that the collective was open to discussions with the Jolly Colliers and would like to commission someone from the collective to ‘rectify their mistake’.
On Tuesday, a letter from an unknown artist condemning the AI art had been placed below the mural, but it was swiftly removed.
The letter called the decision to erect the mural ‘a disrespectful affront to this city’.
It wrote: ‘I am not alone in this opinion. Your decisions have angered a large portion of the very community you supposedly wish to support and exist alongside.’
While it was not signed by anybody, the writer acknowledged Bristol’s reputation for creativity and hosting Upfest, Europe’s largest street art festival.
The letter said: ‘Hundreds of murals exist across the city, created by truly talented individuals, with passion, hard-earned skill and dedication.
‘By choosing to ‘create’ (though that word gives more credit than is due) an AI generated image, produce it in vinyl and stick it to the side of your building, you are actively damaging the livelihoods of artists, disrespecting and contributing to the theft of their work, and making a mockery of what makes Bristol the city it is.
‘You have watered down the spirit, the originality and the very essence of the visual aesthetic you have tried, and failed, to recreate.’
Emily Tuffen, also an artist from BMC, said the mural was a ‘slap in the face’ to Bristol, adding that ‘Brunel would be turning in his grave’ over the piece.
Ms Tuffen said the mural was a ‘very large, very public display of something that is fast becoming a very clear and real threat to the existence of humanity’.
Several other artists from the BMC also criticised the artwork. Nina Raines called the work ‘visually naff,’ while Fiona Finn Teo described it as ‘an appalling and tone-deaf display of absolute nonchalance and disregard to artists residing in Bristol and beyond’.
Tuffen added: ‘The mural is like a giant green light telling all of south Bristol (and anyone who views it online) – AI is fine, let’s jump in feet first!
‘Tally ho! I don’t think it will last long, one way or the other. Bristol won’t stand for it.
‘On a personal level, I would be so happy if someone circled all the mistakes in red paint like a teacher or a spot the difference puzzle. That would make it actually a good street art piece and a clear statement.
‘Bristol loves authentic creativity and won’t stand for intellectual property theft! It wouldn’t cost the proprietors too much if they wanted THAT commissioned!’
A spokesperson from Punch, who own the Bedminster pub, said the mural had been a ‘temporary measure due to the condition of the external wall’ and that they were looking forward to collaborating with local artists and the community in the near future for a permanent mural.
In a statement, the spokesperson added: ‘The external wall requires some minor works which would make a permanent mural at this time difficult, so we had opted for a temporary solution.’
Long Island ‘Catman’ John DeBacker Rescues Pet Trapped Upside Down for Five Days
John DeBacker doesn’t need a mask or cape to be considered a hero by one Long Island family.
Wearing his “Catman” T-shirt, DeBacker carried out a delicate rescue mission to save Lola, a frightened and exhausted cat that had been trapped behind a wall in her family’s former home in the New York City suburbs for roughly five days—likely upside down for much of that time.
Lola’s ordeal began about two weeks before she was rescued, when she slipped beneath a floorboard as her family moved out of their second-floor apartment in Franklin Square.
That was when the family called DeBacker and his team for help.
DeBacker, who has rescued cats for at least 15 years, initially placed food and cameras inside a trap to coax Lola out. But whenever she emerged at night, she avoided the setup.
The situation grew more desperate when Lola stopped appearing altogether. She had fallen and become trapped behind a wall on the first floor.
By the time rescuers located her, Lola was hanging upside down, eating insulation and growing weaker by the hour. DeBacker feared they might not be able to save her alive.
Their prospects changed last Friday. With assistance from a contractor, the team began cutting into the wall with an electric saw and used an endoscopic camera to locate Lola.
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Because the frightened cat appeared nervous, rescuers switched to a quieter drill to keep her from scrambling farther into the wall.
“After two weeks we did not want to lose the cat again,” he said.
Video from the rescue shows DeBacker reaching through the narrow opening and finding Lola’s hind legs. He then stood up, shifted his weight backward and gently pulled the cat out in reverse.
“Safe!” a woman says in the video as the dusty, exhausted cat is placed inside a crate lined with towels.
After Lola was finally freed, DeBacker called the moment the greatest feeling in the world.
“We were all so happy,” he said.
“It’s pretty miraculous that the cat survived there five days with no food or water,” DeBacker said. “And when you’re upside-down, all the blood is rushing to your head.”
Lola was rushed to an emergency veterinarian, where doctors found insulation in her body, DeBacker said. She has since returned home, though she is eating poorly. Her family continues to take her to the vet as they work to determine what is wrong.
DeBacker, who has four cats of his own, urged other pet owners to take extra precautions when moving. “Secure the cats first and not after all the moving. The moving will scare the cat into hiding,” he said.
Outrage After 87-Year-Old Woman Is Forcibly Evicted From Her Madrid Home
Violent protests erupted in Spain after an 87-year-old disabled woman was forcibly evicted from the Madrid apartment she had called home for 71 years.
Maricarmen Abascal was taken from the building on a stretcher and placed in an ambulance while riot police confronted demonstrators shouting, “Maricarmen, you are not alone.”
The pensioner had spent years fighting a legal case against the real estate company that acquired her apartment and increased the monthly rent by 275 per cent to €2,650 (£2,279), according to Madrid’s renters’ union.
Her supporters said she had consistently paid her rent but was allowed only 30 minutes to remove her belongings.
Tensions flared outside the building on Wednesday when riot police moved against protesters who were blocking the entrance.
Video footage showed Maricarmen looking around as healthcare workers wheeled her towards the waiting ambulance.
The case reached Spain’s Supreme Court, which ruled in favour of the company and cleared the way for the eviction, the renters’ union said.
Officers charged at dozens of activists who had camped outside Maricarmen’s building in an effort to prevent her removal, dragging some of them away as protesters shouted, “Shame!”
Because the pensioner uses a wheelchair, health workers escorted her into the ambulance on a stretcher. Behind a security cordon, demonstrators continued chanting: “Maricarmen, you aren’t alone!”
Maricarmen Abascal was taken from the building on a stretcher and placed in an ambulance as demonstrators chanted: “Maricarmen, you are not alone”
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Madrid after an 87-year-old woman was evicted from the apartment she had called home for 70 years
Police remove a member of the Madrid Tenants’ Union who was helping form a barricade at the building’s entrance
After leaving the building, Maricarmen was taken to Gregorio Marañón Hospital. She declined the city’s offer of free emergency accommodation and was expected, at least temporarily, to stay with a relative.
Amnesty International Spain condemned the eviction as “a violation of human rights” and criticised a system that, it said, placed the speculative interests of a “vulture fund” above Maricarmen’s right to remain in her home.
“It isn’t an isolated case; it is another example of the suffering experienced by thousands of households across Spain,” Amnesty said in a statement.
Speaking to public broadcaster RTVE in an interview recorded on Tuesday, Maricarmen described the company as “inhuman” and accused it of acting solely to make money.
“You cannot make a person live for seven years with a machete hanging over their neck,” she said, blaming national, regional and city authorities for her situation.
Socialist Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez said the minority left-wing government had repeatedly attempted to pass legislation banning evictions of this kind. She accused the conservative-run Madrid region of “rolling out the red carpet for these speculators”.
Housing has remained a major concern for Spaniards for years, as demand continues to outstrip supply and rents and property prices rise steadily, mirroring trends elsewhere in the European Union.
In the world’s second-most visited country, residents blame short-term holiday rentals such as Airbnb for pushing up costs and reducing available housing. The issue has fuelled protests in popular destinations including Barcelona.
‘I’m leaving Madrid, because Madrid isn’t Madrid. And the people of Madrid are no longer Madrilenos. They are all the tourists that you have in Gran Via,’ Maricarmen told RTVE, referring to the Spanish capital’s main commercial thoroughfare.
Earlier this year, it emerged that more than 100,000 half-finished homes currently lie empty in Spain, after locals spent years complaining that they had nowhere to live.
Data from Spain’s Ministry of Housing indicates that this vast array of unfinished homes is only a portion of those in the country.
The government’s report into the issue only tracked developments that were meant to host at least 1,000 homes and had building levels of less than 70 per cent.
On top of this, there is enough developed land with streetlights and roads – but no homes – in Spain for 390,000 homes.
Many of these developments exist in an eerie state of limbo as a result of the 2008 financial crisis, with many housebuilders defaulting on loans and declaring bankruptcy, unable to pay their loans back.
And since then, the country’s property development market has come to something of a standstill. The Bank of Spain estimates that there is currently a shortage of almost 700,000 homes.
Because of this, demand for homes has surged, and Spanish residents have increasingly felt priced out of their communities. In the last few years, they have taken out much of their anger on tourists and non-residents who buy up homes in holiday hotspots.
Riots and protests have blighted many of Spain’s biggest tourist cities, including Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga and Mallorca’s Palma.
And in many parts of the country, legislation about banning Britons from buying property is being debated.
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Angelina Jolie Sells LA Home as Plans for a New Life Emerge
Angelina Jolie has sold her Los Feliz estate for $24.75 million, as new details emerge about the actress’s plans for life after Los Angeles.
The 51-year-old star, who recently turned heads with a striking look at New York’s JFK Airport, bought the expansive property in 2017 for approximately $24.5 million, shortly after separating from Brad Pitt.
The 11,000-square-foot residence was once owned by legendary filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille and features six bedrooms along with 10 bathrooms.
Sotheby’s International Realty and The Agency are handling the listing. According to the Sotheby’s website, the property is currently under contract.
Daily Mail has contacted Jolie’s representatives for comment but has not received a response.
The sale followed five months on the market. Jolie first listed the home in May, initially seeking nearly $30 million.
Angelina Jolie, 51, has sold her Los Feliz mansion for $24.75 million as reports shed light on her plans for a “new life”; she was seen earlier this month in New York City
Jolie’s Los Feliz residence sold after five months on the market; the actress had listed it in May for nearly $30 million
Built in 1913, the property spans two acres and commands picturesque views of the Hollywood Hills and the Griffith Observatory.
Inside, the house includes a farmhouse-style kitchen, multiple living areas and a dedicated library.
Additional amenities include a tea house, wine cellar, fitness studio and basement laundry room.
The landscaped backyard stretches across lush lawns toward a large swimming pool, offering a private retreat during warmer months.
A generous pool house sits nearby, while mature trees and dense greenery provide privacy around the grounds.
Jolie’s decision to sell comes as she looks toward her next chapter, with her children now having moved out.
A source told TMZ that the Maleficent star intends to leave Los Angeles and has not yet settled on a new permanent home.
According to the insider, Jolie is expected to resume work in various locations around the world, including Cambodia, where she also owns a home.
Jolie bought the sprawling Los Feliz property in 2017 for about $24.5 million, following her split from Brad Pitt; the former couple were photographed together in Hollywood in 2015
Jolie fueled speculation that she would eventually leave Los Angeles during a 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter; she was seen in Paris in February
Jolie hinted at a possible departure from Los Angeles in a 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“I grew up in this town. I am here because I have to be here from a divorce, but as soon as they’re 18, I’ll be able to leave,” the actress said at the time.
‘When you have a big family, you want them to have privacy, peace, safety. I have a house now to raise my children, but sometimes this place can be… that humanity that I found across the world is not what I grew up with here.’
Jolie added that after leaving California, she will ‘spend a lot of time in Cambodia. I’ll spend time visiting my family members wherever they may be in the world.’
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Earlier this month, Jolie and Pitt’s son Maddox was their latest child to drop the actor’s last name.
Maddox, 25, legally removed Pitt from his moniker, following in the footsteps of his younger sibling Shiloh, 20.
Meanwhile, Zahara, 21, and fraternal twins Vivienne and Knox, 18, have informally stopped using their dad’s surname, with plans to legalize the change.
A Los Angeles judge granted the name change on Monday, officially making their son’s name Maddox Chivan Jolie, per Page Six.
Earlier this month, Jolie and Pitt’s son Maddox was their latest child to drop the actor’s last name; Jolie seen with kids Pax, Zahara and Maddox (far right) in 2024
Earlier this year, Maddox and Zahara published legal notices in the Los Angeles Daily Journal declaring their intent to drop their father’s last name; Pitt seen in 2024
‘There are no objections, the petition for change of name is granted,’ the court order reviewed by the outlet states. ‘The Decree is signed and filed. The Petitioner’s name is changed from Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt to Maddox Chivan Jolie.’
Maddox attended the Stanley Mosk Courthouse hearing remotely, alongside attorney Peter Levine.
Earlier this year, Maddox and Zahara published legal notices in the Los Angeles Daily Journal declaring their intent to drop their father’s last name.
Zahara has a scheduled name change hearing on September 28.
In July 2024, Shiloh’s attorney made a statement about her decision to drop her 62-year-old dad’s last name.
She filed for the change on her birthday in May, and it was publicly announced with a legal notice in the Los Angeles Times.
Regarding the publicity of the proceeding, Shiloh’s lawyer, the aforementioned Levine, shared that she ‘made an independent and significant decision following painful events.’
He added that she was ‘merely following legal process’ when publishing the information.
Pitt has been in a relationship with jewelry designer Ines de Ramon since 2022; the couple seen above earlier this month in Spain
Join the discussion
What do you think drives kids to remove a parent’s surname—hurt, independence, or something else?
Jolie and Pitt split in 2016 following a 12-year relationship and two-year marriage, with their divorce finalized eight years later in December 2024.
The contentious exes are in an ongoing legal battle stemming from a disagreement regarding their shared French winery, Château Miraval.
Pitt claims Jolie sold her stake to Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler behind his back, breaking an agreement that they would not sell without the other’s knowledge.
The actor has been in a relationship with jewelry designer Ines de Ramon since 2022.
Mistress Testifies in Murder Trial of ‘American Idol’ Contestant
The Ohio murder trial of former “American Idol” contestant and music pastor Caleb Flynn continued Thursday with testimony from the woman who had been having an affair with him.
Alleigha Botner, 24, completed two days on the witness stand by discussing the more than 100,000 text messages she and Flynn, 40, exchanged before his wife, Ashley Flynn, was killed.
Prosecutors allege Flynn shot Ashley twice in the back of the head as she slept in their Tipp City, Ohio, home on Feb. 16. They say he then staged the scene to look like a burglary and called 911, claiming an intruder had committed the killing. The weapon has not been found. Flynn maintains that he was in another room when his wife was murdered.
Flynn also faces charges of tampering with evidence and intimidating a witness. The former season 12 “American Idol” contestant has pleaded not guilty. His attorneys argue that investigators rushed to blame him and that intense media coverage has distorted the case.
Botner described an approximately 18-month sexual relationship with Flynn, whom she met while interning at his church. She testified about efforts to conceal their communications, acknowledged initially lying to the FBI and explained that she lost her phone and work laptop only weeks before Ashley Flynn’s death. Asked how she feels about Flynn now, Botner replied, “I hate him.”
Botner said Flynn frequently made hostile remarks about his wife. In one text dated Aug. 22, 2025, introduced in court Thursday, Flynn wrote that he had remained awake until 4 a.m. “thinking of ways to kill her and not going to jail.” Botner urged him to pursue a divorce instead.
“I’m not asking that you take her life, obviously, because that’s not what you should do, and I know you actually wouldn’t,” Botner wrote. “But to make the divorce happen, it would change everything.”
Botner first spoke with the FBI four days after Ashley Flynn’s death, after investigators contacted her following a tip from her aunt.
During her initial interview, Botner said she did not believe Flynn had killed his wife. In a second interview, however, she told agents that she did believe he was responsible, saying the circumstances were “way too much of a coincidence,” she testified Thursday.
Under questioning, Botner acknowledged that she sometimes doubted whether Flynn truly hated his wife, pointing to affectionate messages exchanged by the couple. She said she believed she had fallen in love with Flynn about a year into their affair and resented Ashley for the attention Flynn gave her, including during an argument around Valentine’s Day.
Prosecutors played a video in court Wednesday showing Flynn filming the home he shared with Ashley while declaring loudly, “I love Alleigha Botner.” Their dog was visible in the frame.
In a Sept. 30, 2025, text, Flynn told Botner he was prepared to give up his “daughters, a quarter-million-dollar salary job, a place to live, possibly a church I serve at, public shame and humiliation, and way more” to be with her. He then sarcastically described unfollowing a man on social media as a “big sacrifice” and asked Botner to do the same.
Botner also issued ultimatums, insisting that Flynn leave his wife. In one message, she wrote, “Until she’s gone, I’m gone.”
During cross-examination by defense attorneys, Botner said she had always meant that Flynn should divorce Ashley when she used that language.
The day before Ashley Flynn was discovered dead, Flynn sent Botner several messages saying he planned to leave his wife the following day and was “not scared.”
Prosecutors also presented messages Botner sent Flynn on the morning of the shooting. “Caleb, what’s going on? Were you involved? Is this real?” she wrote. Flynn did not reply. Botner testified that she deleted the message because she feared police would search his phone and discover the affair.
Later that day, at a gathering for members of Flynn’s church hosted by his in-laws, Flynn told Botner that his wife had been shot by an intruder.
“My heart started pounding, and in my mind, it just seemed like too much of a coincident that, the day he’s divorcing her, she’s just dead all of a sudden,” Botner testified Wednesday about learning of Ashley Flynn’s death.
The trial is scheduled to continue Friday.
Inside Trump’s Star-Studded Dinner With China’s Xi and Tech Titans
Donald Trump spared little expense for his glamorous State Dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping, while the leaders devoted much of Xi’s visit to the most difficult issues confronting their countries.
The lavish black-tie gathering in the White House’s historic East Room was among the administration’s most star-studded events. It also offered a polished setting for easing the intense geopolitical tensions between Washington and the Asian superpower.
Trump praised Xi warmly, saying the two had formed a “truly great friendship” during his decade in politics.
Despite the show of cordiality, the United States and China remain sharply divided over the war in Iran. They are also struggling to reach agreement on trade and on how to manage the rapid and disruptive development of artificial intelligence.
The Iran War was among the subjects discussed during Trump’s talks with Xi in Washington before the dinner, China’s state broadcaster, China Central Television, reported.
Trump has repeatedly argued, with limited success, that China has a strong reason to use its influence with Tehran to help end the conflict. Beijing relies far more heavily than the United States on oil from the Gulf.
Yet Trump’s decision to pursue the war has unsettled Beijing. The Chinese government has condemned U.S. and Israeli military action, while Xi has previously warned that the conflict reflected a return to what he described as the “law of the jungle.”
The Trump administration has also cautioned China, Iran’s largest trading partner, against supporting Tehran’s military campaign.
Donald Trump spared little expense for his glamorous State Dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as the leaders discussed the most challenging issues facing their nations.
The lavish black-tie State Dinner in the White House’s historic East Room was one of the administration’s most star-studded occasions, creating a glittering backdrop for efforts to ease long-standing tensions with the Asian superpower.
During Thursday’s discussions, Xi said China supports a return by the United States and Iran to a short-lived interim agreement reached during the summer to bring the war to an end, CCTV reported.
The agreement collapsed shortly after it was signed in June, when the two countries resumed exchanging fire over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy shipments.
Artificial intelligence was another topic on the agenda, with Trump seeking to rebrand the technology as “superintelligence.” Several prominent figures from the AI industry attended the dinner.
Trump has dismissed calls for tighter regulation as concern grows around the world that AI could eliminate jobs or, in the most extreme scenarios, pose an existential threat to humanity.
“I want to leave it exactly where it is,” Trump wrote. “That is China’s position also.”
Xi took a different emphasis in his opening remarks, saying the United States and China had “the capability and responsibility to develop and manage AI for good and ensure that the development of AI is always under human control and serves the well-being of the people.”
The countries’ finance ministers met earlier in the week, when the United States proposed establishing a new “notification mechanism” for reporting AI-related incidents between Washington and Beijing.
In their private discussion Thursday, Xi urged Trump to maintain opposition to Taiwan independence and called on him to “prudently handle the Taiwan issue,” according to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency.
The leaders discussed artificial intelligence, which Trump wants to rebrand as “superintelligence.” Key industry figures attended the dinner, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (pictured left) and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg (pictured right).
The Iran War was discussed during Trump’s talks with Xi in Washington ahead of the dinner. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth (pictured right) attended the State Dinner with his wife, Jennifer Rauchet Hegseth.
The White House did not immediately release any readout of the talks and Trump, who frequently offers his own take of his interactions with foreign leaders on his social media platform, has yet to weigh in on the substance of his conversations with Xi.
Trump, who is in the midst of a legal fight after trying to bar CNN, MSNOW, and Politico from the White House, did complain that TV networks ‘refused to cover one of the Biggest and Most Beautiful Events to take place in many years.’
The White House’s five-network television pool rotation refused to cover Trump’s events in response to the action against CNN.
China has made clear it views Taiwan as the most sensitive issue in the U.S.-China relationship.
Beijing considers Taiwan to be Chinese territory and vows to annex the island by force if necessary. The United States is obligated by law to provide Taiwan with sufficient hardware to deter any armed attack from the mainland.
The US has said it opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo by either side.
China has repeatedly pressed Washington to permanently halt the arms sales, including when Trump and Xi met in Beijing in May.
After that meeting, Trump said he was holding off on final approval for a record $14billion arms package that was in the pipeline.
President Xi Jinping of The People’s Republic of China, makes remarks
A statue of a bald eagle presented as a gift by US President Donald J. Trump to President Xi Jinping of The People’s Republic of China at the State Dinner
He also described arms sales to Taiwan as a ‘very good negotiating chip’ with China.
Trump had made clear he wanted to impress Xi with the visit.
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The Republican president made sure construction of a new helicopter landing pad on the White House’s South Lawn was completed before the visit and he met Xi and his wife on Wednesday evening when they flew into Joint Base Andrews outside Washington.
President Trump took the podium to kick off the grand evening.
‘You are truly outstanding, amazing people… we hope to show you the same honor as you return to Washington for the first time in over a decade,’ President Trump started in his speech.
‘As the leaders of our two nations, President Xi and I both understand that we represent different systems, but the ties between our people endure and we have never gotten along better.’
Trump invited guests to take a look at his new ballroom, which he lamented was not ready in time for their dinner.
‘Anybody who wants to walk into a construction site that’s nice and clean and sparkling, it is our honor to have you do so,’ Trump said to laughter, the one part of his speech he noted was ‘off script.’
Trump had made clear he wanted to impress Xi with the visit
Tesla CEO Elon Musk was in attendance, the first time the ex-DOGE chairman had been spotted at the White House in months
Trump gifted Xi something made by an American artist; a bald eagle. He called it a ‘national symbol of the United States and embodiment of the free and soaring spirit of America.’
Xi then gave his speech, where he thanked the Trump’s for hosting them, saying they made them feel ‘truly at home.’
‘Today, President Trump and I had sincere and in-depth exchanges and reached common understanding on many issues,’ Xi stated. ‘Chinese modernization has reached new ground. These goals are ambitious and can surely be mutually reinforcing.’
‘Together let us write a new chapter in our friendly relations,’ Xi added, before asking for a toast.
Some of the CEOs there were Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, Michael Dell, Jensen Huang, Sam Altman, Jane Fraser and Tim Cook.
Huang, Musk and Cook were seated at the Trumps’ table.
Beyond the corporate executives, key political attendees include Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chief Justice John Roberts, and Speaker Mike Johnson, as well as family members like Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump, and foreign dignitaries including LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault. Prominent media figures are also present, including Fox News anchors and hosts Bret Baier, Laura Ingraham, and Jesse Watters.
Behind closed doors in the East Room tonight, Melania’s office says they personally orchestrated the evening’s extravagant arrangements, transforming the space with red linens, Reagan-era vermeil, and overflowing urns of crimson dahlias – a striking aesthetic that the First Lady notes ‘draws on the color red’s longstanding cultural significance throughout Chinese history.’
Xi and Trump dine alongside First Lady Melania and Elon Musk
White House chefs fused classic American ingredients with subtle Asian flavors across a lavish multi-course menu
As the leaders and their guests dine, there were several performances, including military musicians and inauguration tenor Christopher Macchio setting a grand soundtrack.
Inside the dining room, guests were raising glasses of Schramsberg ‘Blanc De Noir’ for a symbolic toast, reviving the historic 1972 ‘Toast to Peace’ between Richard Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai in China.
White House chefs fused classic American ingredients with subtle Asian flavors across a lavish multi-course menu.
VIPs enjoy a silky yellow squash velouté topped with crispy pancetta, followed by sesame-crusted sea bass served over braised baby bok choy, before rounding out the feast with a fruit-shaped vanilla cremeux paired with ice cream churned directly from White House honey.
The dramatic spectacle began the moment the Chinese President and his wife touched down at Joint Base Andrews.
As the leaders stood on the tarmac alongside rows of soldiers positioned in front of F-35 fighter jets and Air Force One, a screaming flyover shattered the air overhead.
The deafening roar caught Trump off guard, causing him to visibly wince while a stoic, stone-faced Xi didn’t even flinch.
Breaking more than a decade of presidential protocol, the Trump’s personally greeted the Chinese delegation on the tarmac – marking the first time a sitting US president has met a foreign leader at an airport in over 11 years.
Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, during a state arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House
Xi and Mr Trump walk along the colonnade to watch a military review at the White House
A grinning Trump also celebrated an immediate PR win when Xi announced Beijing is sending two giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, to Zoo Atlanta within days, continuing the famous ‘panda diplomacy’ tradition sparked by Richard Nixon’s 1972 trip.
This week’s three-day visit is packed with cultural events alongside tough bilateral negotiations, where trade battles and thorny conflicts from tech dominance to Tehran are set to take center stage.
According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the two leaders could face each other up to four times before the year is out, with November’s APEC summit in Shenzhen and December’s G20 at Trump’s Doral golf resort in Miami already on the schedule.
The diplomatic charm offensive continues Friday, when the Trumps, Xi, and Madame Peng tour the National Archives to view America’s original founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.