GOP Sen. Thom Tillis on Trump-Xi visit: "It's a WTF moment"

Updated on: September 24, 2026 / 7:25 PM EDT / CBS News

GOP Sen. Thom Tillis on Trump-Xi visit: "It's a WTF moment"

TL;DR

  • Senator Thom Tillis questioned President Trump's judgment in hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping.
  • Tillis called the visit a "WTF moment" and expressed concern about prioritizing despots over democratic leaders.
  • He cited China's human rights abuses, espionage, alleged access to U.S. voter data, and reports of Iran using Chinese information to target U.S. military assets.
  • Tillis questioned the administration's current posture towards China, noting it differs from past actions like imposing tariffs.
  • He speculated that "confidential" information might be the reason for the perceived change in U.S. policy toward China.