Donald Trump has hit out after Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un stood side by side in Beijing for a lavish military parade. The event marked the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in the Second World War and brought together 26 world leaders. Western figures were absent, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, sparking questions over who was invited and why.
Trump took to his Truth Social platform to question the tone of the ceremony. He pointed out that while China had suffered greatly during the war, it was the United States that had played the decisive role in defeating Japan. He said he hoped America’s sacrifices would be honoured and remembered. In typical style, he added a pointed remark aimed at Putin and Kim, sarcastically sending them his “warmest regards” before suggesting they were conspiring against America.
The former president described the parade as beautiful and impressive, while criticising Xi for failing to acknowledge U.S. involvement. Trump insisted that the support provided by America during the conflict was monumental and deserved recognition on such a stage.
Observers were quick to interpret the gathering as a carefully crafted show of strength. The display included advanced weapons, hypersonic missiles and AI-assisted systems, underscoring China’s ambitions on the global stage. Xi used the opportunity to frame his country as unstoppable and on a path to rejuvenation, with renewed calls for unification with Taiwan.