Rahm Emanuel draws attention for tweets on China

Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel is reportedly in hot water with Biden administration aides for recent social media posts.

The social media posts include Emanuel questioning the recent whereabouts of Chinese government officials and accusing Chinese President Xi Jinping of disinformation.

“President Xi’s cabinet lineup is now resembling Agatha Christie’s novel And Then There Were None,” reads one of Emanuel’s posts on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “First, Foreign Minister Qin Gang goes missing, then the Rocket Force commanders go missing, and now Defense Minister Li Shangfu hasn’t been seen in public for two weeks. Who’s going to win this unemployment race? China’s youth or Xi’s cabinet?  #MysteryInBeijingBuilding”

According to NBC News, National Security Council officials warned the staff of the ambassador to Japan about the risks of his comments. They said it could jeopardize attempts by the Biden administration to repair rocky relations with China.

A White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity to NBC News said the ambassador’s posts are “not in keeping with the message coming out of this building.”

Emanuel, ambassador since 2021, is the former Chicago mayor and White House chief of staff under former President Obama.

During comments at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Biden said he does not want the rivalry between China and the U.S. to “tip into conflict.” 

“I have said we are for de-risking, not decoupling with China. We will push back on aggression and intimidation and defend the rules of the road,” Biden said. 

“We also stand ready to work with China on issues where progress hinges on our common efforts. Nowhere is that more critical than … the accelerating climate crisis,” Biden added.

The Hill has reached out to the State Department and the National Security Council for comment.