The remarks followed a two-day summit in Beijing focused on trade talks and discussions about the war in Iran. Trump traveled with a delegation that included high-profile CEOs such as Elon Musk, Nvidia's Jensen Huang and Apple's Tim Cook, and the two men arrived side-by-side at a state dinner.
Trump acknowledged he would draw criticism for praising another world leader, and the "central casting" line is one he has used before when complimenting U.S. officials and military leaders.