Towering Roofs... The Mystery of the SUVs in Trump's Motorcade During His Visit to China?

Modified Hongqi LS7 SUVs

Two Vehicles Positioned at the Front and Rear of Trump’s Motorcade

Between May 13 and 15, during U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to China, two unidentified Chinese-made sports utility vehicles (SUVs) that appeared in the presidential motorcade attracted significant attention. The convoy featured two high-roof vehicles not previously seen, as well as several American vehicles with modified roofs.

The high-roof SUVs are based on the latest model of the LS7, a luxury SUV produced by the Chinese automaker Hongqi. In addition, several Chevy Suburban, Lincoln Navigator, and Ford van vehicles with extensively modified roofs were also included in the motorcade.

A modified vehicle of the LS7 sports utility vehicle (SUV) by Hongqi Automobile. Screenshot from social networking service (SNS)

On May 16, The Chosun Ilbo, citing U.S. military media outlet TWZ, reported, "It is only confirmed that the Hongqi SUVs do not belong to the U.S. Presidential Secret Service, but it remains unclear whether they are operated by the U.S. Embassy in Beijing or are affiliated with the Chinese government." The Hongqi SUVs, which are tall enough for passengers to stand upright inside, have become a focal point of interest on social networking services (SNS). However, the specific purpose of this interior space remains the subject of speculation and has not been clearly disclosed.

There are no openings or ports in the roof of the vehicles for weapons to be fired from. However, as the rear axles of the two Hongqi SUVs appear to be noticeably compressed, it is presumed that very heavy equipment has been installed. These two Hongqi SUVs were positioned at the front and rear of Trump's motorcade, respectively. In this regard, TWZ suggested, "It is highly likely that the vehicles are equipped with electronic warfare systems to counter drone attacks, directed energy weapons to shoot down drones, or an array of communication equipment."

Typically, presidential security vehicles are equipped with systems to disrupt drones, block communications, and prevent signal interception. The Hongqi SUVs may be electronic warfare (EW) vehicles designed to maximize these capabilities. As a result, it is speculated that a large amount of space was required on the SUV roofs—enough to form a massive box-like structure—to accommodate all the necessary equipment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.