Since being reelected to a second term as president of the United States, Donald Trump’s cabinet appointments have reignited debates about the future of U.S. China policy. While Senator Marco Rubio’s nomination as Trump’s secretary of state inspired cautious optimism among human rights advocates in particular, due to his tougher stance on China, other picks signal a continuation of Trump’s preference for prioritizing business interests over human rights concerns. This mixed messaging has left policymakers, activists, and international observers questioning how the administration plans to balance strategic competition with economic pragmatism.

This week however, many activists felt a decided slap in the face with the announcement that Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping has been invited to attend Trump’s inauguration. This decision has sent shockwaves through the Uyghur diaspora in the United States in particular, as the community is still grappling with the devastating impact of the ongoing Uyghur genocide. Now in its ninth year, this brutal, systematic repression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang has resulted in the mass disappearance of family members, widespread internment, and harrowing accounts of forced labor and cultural erasure.

For Uyghur Americans, the symbolism of Xi’s invitation to attend such a high-profile event – though reporting thus far holds he will likely decline – cannot be ignored. To them, many of whom were firm Trump supporters, it feels like a betrayal – a signal that the U.S. may deprioritize human rights advocacy in favor of smoothing over relations with Beijing. This sentiment echoes a broader concern among the international human rights community: Can the United States continue to stand as a global leader on issues of freedom and justice, or will it fold under the weight of economic interdependence and geopolitical deal-making? In the midst of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, this adds significant weight to the concerns that the United States might be losing ground as a global leader. 

The significance of this moment extends beyond mere optics. Rolling out the red carpet for Xi or a high-ranking “special envoy” at Trump’s inauguration would mark a stark contrast to the trajectory of China-U.S. relations under previous administrations, where human rights concerns – at least rhetorically – played a central role in shaping foreign policy. With Beijing actively leveraging its influence to suppress criticism of its treatment of Uyghurs, Hong Kongers, Tibetans, and other marginalized groups, the invitation suggests that the White House may be prepared to turn a blind eye to these abuses in exchange for diplomatic or economic concessions.

For advocates of a tougher stance on China, particularly on human rights, this development is both disheartening and alarming. Rubio’s appointment was seen as a rare glimmer of hope, given his vocal support for Uyghurs and his leadership in shaping the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act. His leadership was also critical on a historic piece of legislation with potential to continue to reshape global supply chains, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. 

Yet, the strategic opportunity to leverage human rights issues in support of long-term economic restructuring may also be lost in pursuit of short-term gains. The Trump administration’s broader signals suggest that such principled stances might be the exception, not the rule, in its second term.

The question now is whether the United States will retain its credibility as a counterweight to a trend of growing authoritarianism – or if this era will mark a shift toward a transactional, realpolitik approach that leaves marginalized communities paying the price. As Uyghur Americans and others affected by Chinese repression look to Washington for answers, the stakes have never been higher.

Julie Millsap