Trump, Xi wrap state visit centered on spectacle over substance. Here are the top takeaways

Trump greeted Xi with a rare tarmac welcome, and the two leaders shared a splashy state dinner and tea with their spouses. They also toured the National Archives together. Amid the pageantry, Trump and Xi signed an extension to an existing trade pact, and Xi pledged to send a pair of pandas to Atlanta.

What the visit didn't produce mattered just as much. There were no new purchase commitments and no agreement on managing risks tied to artificial intelligence. Progress on the war in Iran also failed to materialize.

For two leaders whose relationship shapes global trade and security, the visit reads as a reset in tone rather than substance. The trade pact extension keeps existing terms alive, but it doesn't break new ground on the bigger disputes hanging over both countries.

The rest of the world still waits on AI rules and an Iran endgame.