Fact Check: No Evidence that “U.S. Delegation Threw Away Chinese Gifts” – Viral Image is AI-generated.

Last updated on June 24th, 2026

Editor's note

A claim has gone viral on social media and some news outlets in mid-May, alleging that “the U.S. delegation threw all Chinese gifts into a trash can before leaving Beijing.” This claim has disrupted public discourse and warrants a fact-check. Our tracing shows the original information came from White House pool correspondent Emily Goodin, who documented standard U.S. security procedures. However, some media outlets and social media users reinterpreted her account, turning it into the “gifts thrown in trash can” narrative. Many accounts used an AI-generated image, further reinforcing the false impression. The misinformation has spread across multiple platforms and languages. This report will examine the source, cross-verify events, review state gift protocols, analyze visual features, and map the propagation pathways.

Claim

On May 16, 2026, X user @AceTaiwan claimed: “When President Trump’s entire team was about to leave Beijing, they threw all the Chinese gifts directly into the trash — not even one left. The Blue and White would probably want to pick them all up and take them home.” The post included a photo showing a man in front of Air Force One tossing multiple red gift boxes and a gold dragon-framed item into an almost-comically large black trash bin. The post garnered more than 145,200 views.

Fact Check

1. Source Analysis

Our analysis on the rapid spread of this claim centers on its origin and the timeline of the AI-generated image’s dissemination.

1）Contextual Information

The claim by the X user appeared just one day after post by journalist Emily Goodin on May 15, 2026, the day the U.S. delegation left China. Goodin, a White House pool reporter for the New York Post, posted on X: “American staff took everything Chinese officials handed out – credentials, burner phones from WH staff, pins for delegation – collected them before we got on AF1 and threw them in a bin at the bottom of the stairs. Nothing from China allowed on the plane. We’re taking off shortly for America.”

It is important to note that in Goodin’s account, her description of the collected items includes the phrases: “threw them in a bin” and “burner phone from WH staff.”

A comparison of the original source material reveals that Goodin’s post does not contain the term “gift.” The viral claim, however, centers specifically on the assertion that “Chinese gifts were discarded.” This constitutes a key discrepancy: the core element of the claim finds no corresponding basis in the original source.

2）AI-Generated Image

The AI-generated image showing “a trash can filled with red gift boxes” began to spread widely on May 16, 2026. The users who posted the image early on include @EdwardTWinz on X and @sweetrice039220412 on Threads. Both users accompanied the image with their own narratives of the incident.

Notably, user @EdwardTWinz introduced two critical shifts in the information in his post: first, he changed “bin” to “trash bin”; second, he rewrote “burner phone from WH staff” from the original information as “Chinese-issued phone.”

2. Semantic Analysis

In particular, the alteration from “bin” to “trash bin” fundamentally shifted the term’s meaning. In the context of U.S. airport security screening, “bin” refers to the plastic trays used to hold carry-on items for X-ray inspection. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) consistently employs the term in its official guidelines—for instance, instructing passengers to place electronic devices “into a bin” for screening. This usage is further supported by Merriam-Webster, which defines “bin” as “a box, frame, crib, or enclosed place used for storage.”

Goodin’s account—set at Beijing Capital International Airport and involving items such as credentials and phones—aligns with the standard security usage of “bin.” By contrast, “trash bin,” as used in later posts, refers to a waste receptacle—a contextual meaning fundamentally distinct from the original.

3. Event Cross-Verification

To verify the authenticity of the claim that “gifts were thrown into a trash can,” we reviewed multiple video footages taken on May 15, 2026, during the period when President Trump departed from Beijing Capital International Airport. These included: official videos released by the White House, on-site photos posted by reporter Goodin on X that same day, live footage from Fox News and C-SPAN, and departure videos published on the YouTube channel of USA Today. In all of the footage reviewed, no “trash bin” was observed.

According to the official Pool Reports from the day, as archived by The American Presidency Project, Danny Kemp of Agence France-Presse (AFP) provided a detailed account of the departure scene. A review of the report shows it contains no mention of a “trash bin.”

According to the records in the 2026 White House Other Announcements Digest (DCPD-2026DIGEST) published on the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo) website, President Trump’s activities in Beijing on May 15, 2026, included a meeting with President Xi Jinping, a walk, taking “friendship” photos, and a working lunch, along with the full schedule for his departure from Beijing in the afternoon of May 15. However, the document only lists the time and location for the “departure” segment and makes no mention of any “gifts,” “trash bin,” or disposal of items.

The Fact Hunter team has sent a clarification request via email to Emily Goodin to verify the specific details of the widely circulated claim. As of publication, no reply has been received. If a response is received, it will be updated accordingly.

4. State Gift Procedures

According to China’s Regulations of the State Council on the Presentation and Acceptance of Gifts in Foreign Official Activities, the presentation of national gifts follows several principles: First, gifts are not to be proactively presented to visiting foreign guests. When foreign guests present gifts to the Chinese side, reciprocal gifts may be presented as appropriate. Second, there are strict approval and handling procedures—the presentation of gifts to foreign parties or the giving of reciprocal gifts “must be approved by relevant departments under the State Council or the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities directly under the central government, or by authorities authorized by them.” Third, in foreign official activities, gifts shall not be privately given or received, and gifts shall not be solicited by explicit or implicit means. These three principles demonstrate that Chinese diplomatic gifts follow a rigorous management process, with every formal national gift having a complete authorization and registration procedure.

According to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Order titled Acceptance of Gifts and Decorations from Foreign Governments and the Giving of Gifts to Foreign Individuals by GSA Employees, should the value of a national gift presented by a foreign government exceeds the “minimal value” (currently set at $525), the gift shall become property of the U.S. Government and must be deposited within 60 calendar days. The individual recipient is not permitted to retain it.

Based on the above regulatory framework, formal state gifts are subject to complete authorization and registration procedures. The claim that “the U.S. delegation discarded Chinese gifts” would require specific evidence to be substantiated, as it does not align with standard institutional practices.

5. State Gift Records

To verify whether a formal state gift exchange occurred during the visit, we reviewed information released by official agencies of both countries—the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China and The White House website. The search results show that neither side published any official records of a state gift exchange.

6. Visual Analysis

Upon verification, the image attached to the user’s post exhibits significant discrepancies from reality. A comparison with Air Force One images from Getty Images, combined with an analysis of human details and object characteristics, reveals multiple visual anomalies.

The number and placement of window rows on the aircraft are inconsistent with the actual Air Force One (Boeing 747-200B).
The fuselage lines are significantly warped.
The U.S. presidential seal is absent from the aircraft door where it should be printed.
The person’s fingers are deformed, showing classic AI signs such as extra digits and dislocated joints.
Text and designs on the pins and cards are blurred or slightly distorted.

7. AI Tool Detection

Analysis using AI detection tools Hive and Sightengine showed that the image has at least a 99% probability of being AI-generated.

8. Account Originally Responsible for Claim

User @AceTaiwan is based in China’s Taiwan. Their account was created around 2018 and currently has approximately 11,735 followers. The account primarily engages in quote-posting, with most of its posts retweeting content from outlets such as Liberty Times and Mirror Media.

9. Dissemination Timeline

The evolution of the false information surrounding this incident began after a post by journalist Emily Goodin on the X platform on May 15. The original post contained two key pieces of information: “threw them in a bin” and “burner phone from WH staff.” The first to introduce the distortion was tech media outlet TechCrunch, which used “threw away gifts” as a key term in its coverage, though it omitted the detail about mobile phones.

On May 16, social media users @EdwardTWinz, @jean11021, @sweetrice039220412, and @Osint613 replaced the neutral term “bin” with “trash bin.” At the same time, @EdwardTWinz and @sweetrice039220412 accompanied their posts with AI-generated images. That same day, media outlets such as Zee News, RepublicWorld, and iNEWS also adopted the “trash bin” wording and published the story alongside AI-generated images.

A further deviation emerged in a report by India’s The Times of India, which altered Goodin’s original phrase “burner phone from WH staff” to “Chinese-issued phone.”

From May 17 to 18, as multiple media outlets including Liberty Times and The Economic Times continued to cover the story, this false narrative was further amplified and began spreading virally.

10. Disseminator Analysis

Certain Media outlets in Taiwan region

In the dissemination of this false information, certain media outlets in the Taiwan region played a key role in the early spread of the narrative.

On May 16, EBC (Eastern Broadcasting Company) News published a report that adopted phrases such as “trash bin” as narrative keywords and cited an AI-generated image-and-text post from Threads user @sweetrice039220412. That same day, SET iNEWS released a YouTube video report. It used the same AI-generated image as a visual anchor and accompanied it with audio sourced from the internet. The report made no mention of any visual verification or tracing of the image, and its headline also substituted “bin” with “trash bin.” On May 17, Liberty Times published a story that cited social media KOL posts and similarly altered “bin” to “trash bin.”

Several Indian media outlets

Some Indian media constituted an international node in the dissemination chain of this false information, with several outlets departing from Goodin’s original account. The Economic Times and The Times of India, for instance, used the phrase “Chinese-issued phones” in their headlines —a term not present in Goodin’s original account, which referred to a “burner phone from WH staff.” A review of the two outlets’ articles found no clear source or evidentiary basis for the “Chinese-issued phones” characterization. Additionally, India Today and NDTV adopted the term “trash bin” in their reports. Two outlets, Republic World and Zee News, not only used the phrase “trash bin” but also formally incorporated AI-generated images into their reporting.

Social Media Accounts

On social media platforms, AI-generated images were disseminated to general users through a number of active key opinion leaders (KOLs). Notable accounts include @EdwardTWinz (X), @jean11021 (Threads), @TruthMedia123 (X), @AceTaiwan (Threads), and @fromorient2023 (X). These accounts each have a certain level of follower base and level of influence. Among them, @TruthMedia123 and @fromorient2023 have posted China-related content in recent months (over three times between May and June). In addition, other users such as @sweetrice039220412 (Threads), @lukechen2024 (Threads), @xabewater (X), @SKgic9h7u31496 (X), @xctwy543808 (X), @HBLi17 (X), @justice8879819 (X), and @Leo Poon (Facebook) — have also circulated similar posts, though the accuracy of their content has not been verified.

Background

U.S. President Donald Trump paid a state visit to China from May 13 to 15, 2026. On the afternoon of May 15, President Trump departed Beijing aboard Air Force One and returned to the United States. Upon arriving at the White House, he told reporters that his trip to China had achieved “tremendous success. “The U.S. delegation for this visit was exceptionally high-level, featuring several core Cabinet members as well as business leaders including Elon Musk and Tim Cook.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump have agreed on a new vision of building a constructive bilateral relationship of strategic stability, a move observers say could help enhance China-U.S. cooperation, manage differences between the world’s two largest economies, and inject much-needed certainty into global development.

Verdict

AI-generated

Conclusion

The widely circulated claim that “the U.S. delegation discarded Chinese gifts” is unsupported by evidence. A review of on-site footage and official reports reveals no visual evidence or description of gifts being discarded; the accompanying images are AI-generated and inconsistent with the real Air Force One. The original post only mentioned the collection of electronic devices, not gifts. Both China and the U.S. have strict protocols for state gifts, making the discarding claim inconsistent with diplomatic protocols. As of this review, no state gift exchange with records from both sides has been found. During dissemination, some media outlets and accounts introduced unsubstantiated distortions, facilitating the spread of this false narrative. Readers are advised to remain cautious of AI-generated images and sensational information, and to verify claims through multiple sources.

Have a questionable video or claim? Submit it to Fact Hunter’s investigation team at [therealfacthunter@outlook.com].

Primary Fact Checker: Lei Ting

Secondary Fact Checker: Liao Qin

Reference：

https://www.whitehouse.gov/videos/president-trump-departs-beijing-china/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWydln9TR5s

https://www.facebook.com/FoxNews/videos/now-president-trump-exits-the-beast-to-fanfare-and-pumps-his-fist-during-a-depar/1434497168480505/

https://www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/president-trump-departs-beijing-capital-international-airport-en-route-to-the-us/679209

https://www.whitehouse.gov/gallery/president-donald-j-trump-visits-zhongnanhai-and-departs-china-may-15th-2026/

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/pool-reports-may-15-2026

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/DCPD-2026DIGEST/pdf/DCPD-2026DIGEST.pdf

https://www.chinacourt.cn/law/detail/1993/12/id/150880.shtml