Top US executives from tech giants to agriculture have been invited to join President Donald Trump as he is set to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday for his highly anticipated summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Trump said he would urge Xi Jinping to “open up” to US business on his way to the summit, adding that Nvidia’s Jensen Huang to a group of CEOs travelling with him when he stopped in Alaska en route.
Trump will be the first president to visit China in nearly a decade and is eager to land some economic wins and prop up public approval ratings bruised by his war with Iran.
President Donald Trump waves from the stairs of Air Force One as he boards upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Tuesday, May 12, 2026, for a trip to China to meet President Xi Jinping. (AP Photo)Here’s a look at some of the CEOs travelling with Trump:
Elon Musk: Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk once led Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency before exiting the controversial agency in spring 2025. The department itself was shut down later that year. Musk’s relationship with Trump turned turbulent last summer after a public feud in which the billionaire accused the administration, without evidence, of hiding information related to Jeffrey Epstein. He later admitted regretting some of his posts on X.
Since then, Musk has shifted focus back to Tesla and his other ventures. With major business interests in China, Musk has made multiple visits to the country. He is also facing pressure in Europe, where French prosecutors are pursuing charges tied to child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, disinformation and alleged AI-related misconduct on X and Grok. Separately, Musk remains locked in a legal battle with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Tim Cook: Apple CEO Tim Cook is preparing to step down after nearly 15 years at the helm of the tech giant. Cook recently announced he will hand over CEO responsibilities to Apple hardware chief John Ternus on September 1, while staying on as executive chairman.
Under Cook, Apple’s valuation surged by more than $3.6 trillion during the iPhone boom. But his tenure also required careful navigation of US-China tensions, especially during the Trump-era trade wars. Cook previously convinced Trump to spare the iPhone from first-term tariffs, but faced tougher challenges during Trump’s current administration.
While Trump pushed Apple to shift manufacturing back to the US, Cook reduced tariff exposure by moving production for US-bound iPhones to India and securing exemptions after pledging a $600 billion US investment.
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Kelly Ortberg: Boeing CEO Robert “Kelly” Ortberg, who took charge in 2024 after previously leading Rockwell Collins, has spent much of his first year trying to stabilise the aerospace giant amid regulatory troubles, production setbacks and mounting financial pressure.
Ortberg had earlier said the US-China trade war would not derail Boeing’s recovery, despite Chinese airlines resisting deliveries of Boeing aircraft. Beijing’s retaliatory tariffs, raised to 125% after Trump hiked duties on Chinese goods, sharply increased costs for American-made jets.
Still, Boeing’s exposure to China has reduced over time, with fewer aircraft now being delivered there. The company nevertheless remains in talks with Beijing over a potential major aircraft deal.
Who else is travelling?
- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang
- BlackRock CEO Larry Fink
- Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman
- Cargill CEO Brian Sikes
- Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser
- Coherent CEO Jim Anderson
- GE Aerospace CEO H. Lawrence Culp
- Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon
- Illumina CEO Jacob Thaysen
- Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach
- Meta President Dina Powell McCormick
- Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra
- Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon
- Visa CEO Ryan McInerney
THE TRIP
A high-profile delegation, a fragile truce
Trump heads to Beijing with a packed roster of American CEOs as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent runs parallel talks with Chinese officials in South Korea to preserve last year’s trade truce. The visit includes meetings with President Xi Jinping, a state banquet, and a stop at the Temple of Heaven.
CEOs travelling with Trump
Jensen Huang
Nvidia
★ Last-minute add
Tim Cook
Apple
★ Farewell trip
Stephen Schwarzman
Blackstone
H. Lawrence Culp
GE Aerospace
David Solomon
Goldman Sachs
Michael Miebach
Mastercard
Dina Powell McCormick
Meta (President)
Sanjay Mehrotra
Micron Technology
“I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China so that these brilliant people can work their magic.”
— Donald Trump, on Truth Social
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THE FALLOUT
From DOGE to deep freeze
Once a fixture of Trump’s inner circle, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has spent the past year drifting away from the administration after a public falling-out and is now navigating prosecution risk in Europe and a long-running fight with OpenAI.
SPRING 2025
Exits DOGE. Leaves the Department of Government Efficiency he helped lead. The department itself is shut down later that year.
SUMMER 2025
Public feud with Trump. Accuses the administration — without evidence — of hiding Epstein-related information. Later admits regretting some of his X posts.
PIVOT
Refocus on Tesla and ventures. Makes multiple visits to China, where Tesla has major business interests.
NOW
Legal pressure on two fronts. French prosecutors pursue charges tied to CSAM, deepfakes, disinformation and alleged AI-related misconduct on X and Grok. Locked in a separate legal battle with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
⚖
French prosecution
CSAM, deepfakes, disinformation and AI misconduct allegations linked to X and Grok.
⚡
OpenAI standoff
Ongoing legal battle with Sam Altman shows no sign of resolution.
◆
China balancing act
Multiple personal visits to Beijing keep Tesla’s largest growth market in play — without flying with Trump.
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THE HANDOVER
15 years, a record valuation, and an India pivot
Cook will hand CEO duties to Apple hardware chief John Ternus on September 1 and stay on as executive chairman. Under his watch, Apple’s valuation surged by more than $3.6 trillion — but the tenure also demanded careful diplomacy around US-China tensions.
$3.6T+
Valuation gained under Cook
Sep 1
Ternus takes over as CEO
①
First-term iPhone exemption
Cook convinced Trump to spare the iPhone from first-term tariffs — a precedent he leaned on again this term.
②
Production shift to India
Moved manufacturing of US-bound iPhones to India to reduce exposure to China tariff escalations.
③
$600 billion US investment pledge
Secured exemptions from Trump’s current administration in exchange for a record domestic investment commitment.
④
Then: executive chairman
After September 1, Cook stays on board as executive chairman while Ternus takes operational reins.
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THE BACKDROP
A truce both sides want to keep
Under the October trade truce, Trump paused steep tariffs while China eased restrictions on rare earth exports critical to EVs and defence. Bessent’s parallel talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng aim to preserve that status quo as Trump arrives in Beijing.
🇺🇸 Washington wants
- More Boeing aircraft purchases
- Increased buying of US agriculture
- Greater US energy imports
- Approval for Nvidia’s H200 AI chips
- China to “open up” to American firms
🇨🇳 Beijing wants
- Looser US restrictions on chipmaking tech exports
- No new tariff escalations
- Rare earth easing to remain reciprocated
- Pushback on US arms sales to Taiwan
- Status quo on Iran, semiconductor talks
“Keeping the status quo rather than escalating tensions is already positive. But the Trump administration arguably needs this meeting more than China does.”
— Liu Qian, Founder, Wusawa Advisory (Beijing)
Source: Indian Express reporting on Trump’s CEO delegation to Beijing, parallel Bessent-He Lifeng talks in South Korea, and the October trade truce.
As Trump prepared for the high-profile visit, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held talks with Chinese officials in South Korea to preserve the fragile trade truce reached last year between Washington and Beijing.
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Many of the CEOs accompanying Trump represent companies trying to resolve major business challenges in China. Nvidia, for example, has struggled to obtain approval to sell its advanced H200 AI chips in the Chinese market.
Trump said he planned to urge Chinese President Xi Jinping to further open China’s economy to American businesses.
Jensen Huang reportedly joined the trip at the last minute after a direct request from Trump. He was later seen boarding Air Force One during a refuelling stop in Alaska ahead of Trump’s arrival in Beijing for meetings with Xi, including a state banquet and a visit to the Temple of Heaven.
Beyond trade, discussions are expected to cover the Iran conflict, Taiwan, semiconductor restrictions and broader geopolitical tensions.
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Meanwhile, China reiterated its opposition to US arms sales to Taiwan, even as a proposed $14 billion weapons package awaits Trump’s approval.
At the same time, Bessent’s negotiations with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng focused on maintaining the October trade truce, under which Trump paused steep tariffs while China eased restrictions on rare earth exports critical to industries ranging from EVs to defence.
Washington is also pushing for increased Chinese purchases of Boeing aircraft, US agriculture and energy products, while Beijing wants looser US restrictions on chipmaking technology exports.
(With inputs from agencies)
