Members of President Donald Trump’s delegation reportedly disposed of burner phones, credentials and other materials before departing China following high-level meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to The Mirror US, staffers gathered items distributed by Chinese officials to the American delegation and discarded them before boarding Air Force One. The move appeared to be part of strict security precautions during Trump’s visit to Beijing.
A New York Post reporter shared details from the scene on X, writing that the discarded items included “credentials, burner phones from WH staff, pins for delegation.”
“Nothing from China allowed on the plane,” she added shortly before departure.
Why were phones reportedly destroyed?
Officials often use temporary or “burner” devices while traveling to countries viewed as high-risk for surveillance. Security experts have long warned that phones, laptops and even seemingly harmless items can potentially be compromised or monitored during overseas trips involving sensitive government discussions.
By discarding the phones before returning to the United States, staffers likely aimed to reduce any possibility of compromised devices reentering secure American government networks.
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The reports did not specify whether the devices were physically destroyed or simply discarded, but the strict instruction that nothing from China could board the aircraft underscored the level of caution surrounding the trip.
Trump and Xi discussed Iran, Taiwan and global tensions
Trump’s visit concluded after multiple meetings with Xi at Zhongnanhai, the Chinese leadership compound in Beijing. The leaders were also seen walking through the historic estate’s gardens and covered walkways before holding lengthy talks with advisers and interpreters present.
“It’s been really a great couple of days,” Trump told reporters after the summit.
Despite the cordial public tone, serious disagreements remain between Washington and Beijing on issues including Taiwan and Iran.
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According to Chinese officials cited by The Mirror US, Xi warned Trump during private discussions that mishandling tensions over Taiwan could lead to “clashes and even conflicts” between the two global powers.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC News that American policy on Taiwan remains unchanged and cautioned China against using military force. “They always raise it on their side. We always make clear our position, and we move on to the other topics,” Rubio said.
Trump also claimed during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity that Xi had offered to help address tensions involving Iran, though Beijing has publicly shown little enthusiasm for taking on a larger role in the crisis.
