President Donald Trump arrived in China hoping to stabilize a growing international crisis — but instead found himself facing blunt criticism from ordinary residents in Beijing.
And according to CNN reporters on the ground, the reaction caught them off guard.
Trump landed in Beijing Wednesday for a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid rising tensions tied to the Iran war, global oil fears, and worsening U.S.-China relations.
But while Trump reportedly hoped China would help pressure Iran into reopening the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, many Beijing residents interviewed by CNN made it clear they wanted no part of it.
One resident identified as Mr. Liu delivered a direct criticism of Trump during the interview.
“I don’t have a good impression of President Donald Trump at all,” he said.
“The U.S.-Iran conflict was stirred up by him.”
Others echoed similar concerns, arguing China should avoid becoming entangled in what several described as an American-led conflict.
CNN correspondent Mike Valerio admitted he was struck by how strongly local residents rejected the idea of Chinese involvement.
According to Valerio, opposition to helping Trump appeared widespread among people he interviewed throughout Beijing.
Another resident, identified as Ms. Yuan, bluntly stated that China should not interfere in the conflict at all.
The public criticism comes at a difficult moment for Trump internationally.
The president entered the summit already weakened after failing to secure a peace deal with Iran before arriving in Beijing.
Meanwhile, Iran recently signaled support for a China-backed diplomatic framework instead of Washington’s proposal — a development critics described as a major geopolitical embarrassment for the White House.
Trump’s arrival in China also immediately sparked controversy after Xi Jinping did not personally greet him at the airport.
Instead, Trump was welcomed by lower-ranking Chinese officials, fueling widespread online speculation about whether Beijing intentionally snubbed the American president.
Trump critics, including his niece Mary L. Trump, described the optics as humiliating.
Now the CNN street interviews are adding another layer of tension to an already delicate summit.
For many observers, the footage revealed something deeper than simple criticism of American foreign policy.
It highlighted growing global skepticism toward Trump’s leadership during one of the most volatile international crises in years.
And in Beijing, at least, many residents made one thing crystal clear:
They do not want China dragged into Trump’s war.