White House orders delegation to discard items after China trip

Following two days of high-level talks in Beijing, members of the U.S. delegation were required to discard various items collected during the trip before boarding Air Force One, the official call sign for the U.S. presidential aircraft. The directive forced White House staffers and reporters to surrender items such as staff burner phones—disposable mobile devices used to avoid tracking or security compromises—as well as credential badges and lapel pins issued by China. Those traveling on the aircraft threw the objects into a bin at the bottom of the plane’s stairs.

The strict security measure was highlighted by Emily Goodin, the White House correspondent for the New York Post. Goodin, who was part of the press pool, wrote in a post on X, “Nothing from China allowed on the plane.” While she did not explain the exact reason for the order, the requirement to discard the items was presumably for security reasons.

The precautions reflect the reality that China remains a key adversary of the United States. The U.S. and its allies have long accused China of spying and carrying out cyberattacks. Given China’s advanced intelligence and espionage capabilities, it is not far-fetched to believe some of the gifted items could be bugged, as governments have done in the past. It is also reasonable to assume that burner phones were likely targeted during the trip, as these devices are designed to be used temporarily in environments where attacks can be assumed.

The delegation, which left Beijing on Friday following the two days of high-level talks with the Chinese government led by President Xi Jinping, included several figures who had been photographed wearing the Chinese-issued pins on their coat lapels prior to boarding. Among those sporting the pins were President Trump, White House communications director Steven Cheung, Apple chief executive Tim Cook, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang, and members of the Secret Service security detail. Spokespeople for the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the directive.

Why it matters

The directive to discard items from China highlights ongoing security concerns regarding espionage and cyberattacks during high-level diplomatic trips. It underscores the strict precautions required when state officials and technology executives interface directly with geopolitical adversaries.