Trump appears to sip wine at Beijing state banquet with Xi

President Trump, long known as a public teetotaler, appeared to raise a wine glass and sip during a toast with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a state banquet in Beijing on Thursday, drawing immediate attention on social media, The Korea Times reported.

The moment drew widespread notice because Trump, 79, has publicly attributed his decades-long abstinence from alcohol to his older brother's death from alcoholism — making the apparent sip an unexpected departure from a defining element of his public image at a high-stakes diplomatic summit.

Videos and photographs from the banquet at Beijing's Great Hall of the People showed Trump raising a wine glass as the two leaders exchanged remarks. Neither the White House nor Chinese officials publicly clarified whether the beverage contained alcohol, according to The Korea Times.

Trump, 79, has for years described himself as a lifelong abstainer, frequently citing his older brother's struggle with alcoholism as the reason he avoids drinking. His preference for Diet Coke has long been a closely associated element of his public persona.

The summit between the two leaders covered a broad range of issues, including trade, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, The Korea Times reported.

During the visit, Trump repeatedly described Xi as a personal friend and extended an invitation for Xi and his wife to attend a reception at the White House in September.

The state banquet menu included roast duck, beef ribs and elaborate desserts. Images of Trump raising his wine glass circulated widely and accumulated millions of views within hours of publication.

The state banquet came as part of a broader diplomatic summit between the two leaders covering multiple geopolitical fronts. Whether the beverage in Trump's glass contained alcohol remained publicly unconfirmed at the time of publication.