A viral video showing Donald Trump appearing to sip from a champagne glass during a formal banquet hosted by Xi Jinping has sparked debate. The clip led many social media users to speculate that Trump may have broken his long-publicized rule of never consuming alcohol.
But the viral claim remains unverified, and there is currently no confirmed evidence that Trump actually drank alcohol during the state dinner in Beijing.
What does the viral video show?
The footage, widely shared online, captures Trump participating in a ceremonial toast at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People during a major US-China summit. In the clip, the US President raises a glass that appeared to contain champagne and briefly brings it to his lips during the toast with Xi Jinping.
Because Trump has consistently said for years that he abstains from alcohol, the moment became a major talking point online.
The banquet took place during high-level discussions between the United States and China on trade, global energy, economic cooperation and regional security, according to The Sunday Guardian.
Was it actually alcohol?
Despite assumptions online, there is no independent proof confirming that the drink in Trump’s glass contained alcohol.
Bruce LeVell, a former Trump senior adviser and former White House small business advocate, dismissed the viral claims in a post on X after the clip gained traction.
“It’s not alcohol, and I speak for the President,” LeVell wrote.
No official White House statement has confirmed that Trump drank champagne or any alcoholic beverage during the banquet. The video itself also does not verify the contents of the glass.
Why Trump says he never drinks alcohol
Trump’s public stance against drinking has long been tied to a personal family tragedy. His older brother, Fred Trump Jr., struggled with alcoholism before dying at the age of 43.
Over the years, Trump has repeatedly spoken about how his brother’s death influenced his decision to avoid alcohol and cigarettes entirely.
That history is why the banquet footage prompted speculation that Trump may have made a rare exception as a diplomatic courtesy during the state event with Xi Jinping.
What else happened during the summit?
Beyond the viral toast moment, the summit focused on geopolitical and economic discussions between Washington and Beijing.
According to reports, officials discussed maintaining open trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz amid rising Middle East tensions. Both sides also explored expanding Chinese purchases of American agricultural products, increasing Chinese investment in the US and improving economic cooperation after years of tariff disputes.
Xi Jinping reportedly stressed that the Taiwan issue remained the most important matter in US-China relations and warned that mishandling it could create a “highly perilous situation” between the two nations.
