WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump personally greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews Wednesday evening, taking the unusual step of welcoming a foreign leader at the Maryland military base rather than the White House, in a ceremony that briefly went off script when Trump visibly winced at the sound of a low-flying military jet overhead.

Trump, joined by first lady Melania Trump, greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, as they arrived to begin Xi's state visit to the United States. The two leaders and their spouses walked along a 100-foot red carpet flanked by U.S. service members, with American and Chinese flags on display. The ceremony featured the national anthems of both countries performed by the U.S. Air Force band, a 21-gun salute, a guard of honor, a display of six F-16 and six F-22 fighter jets, and a flyover by two B-1 Lancer bombers.

It was during that flyover, coming near the end of the U.S. national anthem, that the ceremony's most talked-about moment occurred. As the B-1 bombers roared overhead, Trump, who was saluting at the time, visibly recoiled at the noise, ducking, gritting his teeth, turning his head toward the aircraft and lowering his salute in front of assembled reporters and photographers. Xi, standing beside him, remained composed........

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