Key Tips
Trump Impersonator, Social Media Influencer, Cross-Cultural Communication, City Image Promotion
On the streets of Chongqing, 42-year-old Ryan Chen strikes a signature Donald Trump pose, mimicking the former US president’s voice and gestures with striking accuracy — a cross-border entertainment imitation becoming the new focus of online traffic.
Wearing a white cowboy hat and mimicking Trump’s hallmark gestures while uttering “tremendous” and “amazing,” Chen’s performances on short-video platforms are almost indistinguishable from the real person.
This 42-year-old architect from Chongqing, China, has become a social media sensation by accurately impersonating Trump, amassing millions of followers on Instagram, TikTok, and domestic Chinese platforms.
The Entertainment Shell
Chen’s imitation strictly adheres to one principle: complete depoliticization. His video content primarily revolves around Chinese cuisine, local customs, cultural differences, and playful interactions with foreigners.
He even dances to the “YMCA” – Trump’s signature rally song – in his videos.
“I’m not into politics, but I think he is a very good entertainer,” Chen said in an interview. He views Trump as an “endless well” of online appeal, believing Trump generates “more online traffic than anyone else on the planet”.
Chen’s rise to fame began in 2025 when the architecture design industry he originally worked in was hit by the downturn in China’s real estate market. He started creating short videos as a side hustle, initially trying content about English teaching and weight loss with moderate success.
The Traffic Code
After news of Trump’s return to the White House gained attention, a friend challenged him to imitate the former president. This attempt unexpectedly triggered a viral wave.
The impersonator has never set foot in the United States, but he honed his performance skills by extensively watching Trump’s video footage and studying how American comedians imitate him.
Coverage by international media further amplified his fame. In April 2025, American YouTuber “IShowSpeed,” with over 47 million subscribers, interacted with Chen during a livestream while visiting China.
A Cultural Bridge
Chen positions his role as a bridge for cultural exchange between China and the West. He stated that his imitation is “not to make fun of him — it’s to get attention”.
“With that attention, I can boost my career, as well as promote China and my hometown,” Chen emphasized in the interview.
In his videos, Trump’s persona is cleverly integrated into local Chinese contexts. He “scolds the Ukrainian president” only to be “taught a lesson” by his mother; or he化身 the president climbing the Great Wall, praising that China’s wall is much stronger than America’s.
The City Card
Behind this individual’s popularity, the strategic support of local international communication is vaguely visible. One of the first media outlets to report systematically on Chen was the YouTube channel “iChongqing”.
The operator behind this account is a content organization supported by Chongqing’s official departments, specifically designed for overseas social media platforms.
These local international communication centers are becoming important promoters for Chinese cities’ “going global.” By March 2025, the total number of accounts operated by such centers on overseas social platforms exceeded 100, with approximately 37.4 million total subscriptions.
Chongqing’s “iChongqing” ranked high with 9.1 million subscribers on Facebook.
Another impersonator, Li Liangwei, represents an earlier, more commercialized path of imitation. This retired magazine editor-in-chief from Yueyang, Hunan, impersonated Trump through brokerage packaging, wearing blue contact lenses and a wig.
His activities mainly focused on commercial celebrations and advertising endorsements. He once claimed, “I have all the qualities Trump has”.
Chen recently obtained a U.S. visa and set foot for the first time in the homeland of the man he impersonates. In the first half of 2025, Chongqing recorded over 1.14 million inbound and outbound passenger trips, a year-on-year increase of 35%, including over 330,000 entries and exits by foreign nationals, a record high.
The rise of these “Chinese Trumps” is less a reflection of political phenomena and more an accidental convergence of personal creativity and local cultural dissemination needs in the era of global social media.
Whether it’s Chen’s short videos or Li Liangwei’s commercial performances, these imitations have carefully avoided politically sensitive areas, finding their niche on the track of entertainment.