During his state visit to China, Donald Trump was spotted drinking a glass of champagne, despite claiming he had never drunk alcohol in his life.

Shocking footage has surfaced online following US President Trump’s summit in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

While many body language experts analyzed and dissected every interaction between world leaders, something else caught the attention of viewers.

Trump and Xi met on May 14. The former was greeted with imperial pride, after which they got down to business and discussed a range of issues, including trade, Taiwan, and the Middle East.

In addition to the conversations, handshakes and praise that Trump directed at his Chinese counterpart, chaos erupted among media representatives even before the talks began.

The profanity-laced exchange shocked viewers, who later dropped their jaws when it turned out Trump had taken a drink, despite having sworn he wouldn’t.

Trump drinks after toasting Xi Jinping

Experts said the relationship between the leaders was positive, despite some assertive behavior on both sides; everything seemed to be mutual.

The respect seemed to endure, as after a toast in Mandarin, Trump stood on stage and listened attentively.

At the end of the meeting, he could be seen taking a glass of champagne from a waiter’s tray, raising it in a gesture of respect to the Chinese leader after the historic summit, and taking a sip of the liquid.

After that sip, he put the glass back on the tray and stood on stage for a moment to applaud the crowd, which applauded back.

Why doesn’t Donald Trump drink alcohol?

There were previously reports that Trump did not drink because his older brother died as a result of an alcohol problem.

It appears the US president has decided to show respect to Xi by breaking his strict rules.

While we are not 100% certain what liquid was in the glass, its appearance that evening suggests it may have been alcohol.

Trump claims he has never been drunk in his life, a claim linked to the death of his brother Fred, who died of alcoholism in 1981 at the age of 42.

The BBC reports that former bartenders from 1990s New York, where Trump lived for decades, say he was often served champagne and even vodka, claiming he “swigged” the drinks on nights out.

However, those close to the president, including the man who introduced him to his wife Melania, remain adamant that he never drank alcohol and stuck to his favorite drink, Coca-Cola Light.

Trump Explains Why He Doesn’t Drink

In a 2016 interview with Fox News, Trump stated that he “never drank alcohol,” unlike many presidents before him.

George W. Bush gave up alcohol on his 40th birthday, but Trump claims to have been sober his entire life – a first for a US leader.

He spoke about his brother’s death, saying: “It was a very difficult time for him,” and added that the incident meant he would never drink alcohol again.

“If you don’t start, you’ll never have a problem. If you start, you might have a problem. And that’s a problem that’s hard to stop,” the president told the news agency.

His view on one alcoholic beverage turning into an addiction was interesting, though he claimed to instill these beliefs in his children.

He would ban alcohol, cigarettes and drugs, adding: “I was very strict with my children about drinking.”