Baby bok choy to White House honey: Here’s what’s on the menu for

The White House honey is a nice touch, but let’s not pretend the state dinner for Xi Jinping is about the menu. Baby bok choy and a golden drizzle make for a good photo op. The actual course is two world powers sorting out trade grievances and the future of artificial intelligence. Xi hasn’t been back to the White House for a state visit in over a decade. That gap says everything about how much has changed, and how much Trump has reset the terms.

Expect the usual complaints from the left that this is cozying up to an autocrat. That’s lazy. This is how you deal with a rival. You put the East Room tables out, you break bread, and you talk straight. The bok choy isn't a concession. It’s a diplomatic signal that America can afford to be gracious because we’re negotiating from a stronger position than we were in years past. Trade deficits didn’t fix themselves, and the AI race isn’t going to pause for a second round of finger-pointing.

We care about one thing here: whether the president leaves this dinner with something real for American workers and a clear-eyed arrangement on technology. If he gets that, the honey is just dessert. If he doesn’t, it’s just another meal. But watching Trump work a room like this is never dull. The menu is the least interesting thing in the East Room tonight. The real dish is whether Xi walks out respecting the man across the table. That’s the course that matters..