The White House Readies the Red Carpet for Xi Jinping

Summary of The White House Readies the Red Carpet for Xi Jinping

by The Wall Street Journal

12m•September 23, 2026
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Overview of The White House Readies the Red Carpet for Xi Jinping

This episode of WSJ What’s News covers the major diplomatic theater surrounding Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming state visit to Washington, alongside key headlines from the UN General Assembly, a major New York City labor settlement with DoorDash, and a mix of business, housing, travel, and health stories. The tone is dominated by U.S.-China tensions, with attention also on Ukraine’s push for more military support ahead of winter.

Global Politics and Diplomacy

Ukraine seeks more U.S. weapons

  • President Volodymyr Zelensky said he asked President Trump for a new weapons package, including Patriot missile defense systems, as Ukraine braces for winter.
  • Zelensky said Trump appears focused on a ceasefire that would reduce attacks on energy infrastructure.
  • He argued that only political pressure and sanctions are likely to force Vladimir Putin to back down.
  • Zelensky also singled out India, Turkey, and especially China as countries helping sustain Russia’s war effort.

Japan pushes back on UN “enemy states” language

  • Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called for the UN to remove references to “enemy states” from its charter.
  • She said Russia and China have weaponized that language to pressure Japan over increased defense spending.
  • She also criticized the UN Security Council as ineffective for maintaining global peace.

White House prepares for Xi Jinping’s state visit

  • The White House is preparing a full state-visit welcome for Xi Jinping, including:
    • honor guards
    • a 21-gun salute
    • a formal South Lawn ceremony
  • This will be Xi’s first state visit to the U.S. in more than a decade.
  • Journal China correspondent Lingling Wei said the visit matters more for symbolism and signaling than for any major agreement.

Key issues to watch in the Trump-Xi meeting

  • Iran: Trump wants pressure on China to reduce its support for Tehran.
  • Taiwan: Xi may press Washington to soften its stance or slow arms sales to Taiwan.
  • AI safety: Both sides want some kind of dialogue, but define “AI safety” very differently, making any concrete mechanism uncertain.

U.S. Business, Labor, and Consumer News

DoorDash settles with New York City

  • DoorDash will pay $131.5 million to settle an investigation into underpaying delivery workers.
  • The city said the company failed to properly pay workers for time spent on the app between deliveries.
  • Officials said the settlement is the largest enforcement action in New York City history.
  • DoorDash said New York’s rules are unusually complex and acknowledged the errors were not intentional.

Prescription drugs from Canada face new restrictions

  • Americans may soon lose a cheaper route to mail-order medications from Canada.
  • On October 22, the U.S. plans to end a long-standing loophole that allowed low-value personal-use packages to pass through with less scrutiny.
  • After that, imported medications will face stricter customs/FDA review and additional broker/financial requirements.
  • The move could affect millions of Americans who buy prescription drugs abroad because U.S. prices are often dramatically higher.

Housing market weakness continues

  • KB Home reported a 20% drop in quarterly revenue and cut its outlook.
  • The company blamed rising mortgage rates, which are keeping buyers on the sidelines.
  • With rates above 7%, many consumers are waiting for borrowing costs to stabilize before buying.

Six Flags pressured to consider a sale

  • Activist investor Jana Partners is urging Six Flags to explore a sale after weak earnings.
  • The company’s Q2 losses more than doubled, and its stock is down more than 40% over the past year.

Cybersecurity funding remains strong

  • Global seed-stage funding for cybersecurity startups has reached $4.7 billion, already topping last year’s total.
  • Investors are betting that AI-driven hacking will increase demand for security tools.

Travel and Health Trends

Qantas plans ultra-long-haul New York–Sydney flights

  • Qantas is preparing a nonstop New York-to-Sydney route that could take around 18 hours.
  • The new service would eliminate a refueling stop and appeal to travelers willing to pay for speed and comfort.

GLP-1 drugs are being used off-label for more than weight loss

  • Doctors and patients are increasingly exploring nontraditional uses for GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound.
  • Reported off-label uses include treatment for:
    • endometriosis
    • rheumatoid arthritis
    • gout
    • osteoarthritis
    • Crohn’s disease
    • IBS
    • some autoimmune conditions
  • Some patients are “microdosing” to reduce cost, since insurance often doesn’t cover off-label use.
  • Eli Lilly is reportedly studying broader uses of Zepbound, including for:
    • substance abuse disorders
    • heart disease
    • asthma

Main Takeaways

  • The biggest geopolitical story is the carefully staged Xi Jinping visit, which is rich in symbolism but unlikely to produce a sweeping deal.
  • Ukraine is still pushing for more U.S. support and sanctions pressure on Russia’s backers.
  • On the domestic front, the episode highlights growing pressure on gig-worker pay, housing affordability, drug pricing, and consumer costs.
  • Health and travel stories show how companies are experimenting with new models, from ultra-long flights to expanded medical uses for GLP-1 drugs.