Does a US citizen need a visa to transit Hong Kong?
No, you are not reading it wrong. As a US citizen, you will never need a visa to travel to Hong Kong for a maximum of 90 days from the date you enter Hong Kong with a valid passport for at least 6 months from the date you enter Hong Kong, including transit in Hong Kong. You must have a visa to enter China of course, but you will not need a visa for transit in Hong Kong. Thanks for your interest on traveling in Asia, by the way.