Who was on Trump’s plane to China? Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO and more
PBS NewsHour – Politics — 2026-05-13 11:18:00 — www.pbs.org
Prominent U.S. executives from Big Tech and Wall Street to agriculture and aerospace are joining President Donald Trump on his trip to China this week. Trump arrived in Beijing Wednesday to meet with President Xi Jinping. Aside from discussions about Iran, the two leaders are expected to discuss trade and artificial intelligence.
Among the executives traveling with Trump are Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Jensen Huang, and Kelly Ortberg, as well as leaders from major firms like Blackrock, Goldman Sachs, and Visa.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, previously led Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency until leaving in the spring of 2025. Musk had a public feud with Trump last summer, during which he made unverified claims about the government concealing information regarding Trump’s association with Jeffrey Epstein. Musk later expressed regret for some of his posts about Trump on social media. He has since focused on his companies, including Tesla, which has operations in China.
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, is nearing the end of his tenure, set to transition leadership to John Ternus on September 1. Cook’s diplomatic skills were tested during Trump’s trade wars with China. He successfully negotiated exemptions for Apple products from tariffs during Trump’s first term and has continued to navigate challenges under the current administration, including shifting some iPhone production to India and promising a $600 billion investment in the U.S.
Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, is heading to Beijing after receiving approval from the Trump administration to sell AI chips to China under specific conditions. The administration imposed new security requirements but allowed the export of Nvidia’s H200 chips, which must undergo third-party review before being sent to China.
Kelly Ortberg, who became CEO of Boeing in 2024, is focused on the company’s recovery amid ongoing trade tensions. He previously stated that he did not expect the U.S.-China trade war to hinder Boeing’s financial recovery or aircraft delivery targets.
How this sits against verifiable accuracy
The excerpt outlines Trump’s ongoing engagement with major business leaders during his trip to China, emphasizing discussions on trade and technology. It does not present any statements from Trump himself, nor does it indicate any contradictions or corrections to previous claims. Instead, it highlights the relationships and negotiations between Trump and these executives, particularly in the context of trade policies and international relations.
How this compares to what he has said before
Trump’s approach to trade with China has evolved over time. Initially, during his first term, he emphasized a hardline stance against China, often criticizing its trade practices and imposing tariffs. However, the current context of his discussions with executives suggests a more collaborative approach, focusing on investment and technology partnerships, which may contrast with his earlier rhetoric about “America First” and reducing reliance on foreign manufacturing.
Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/who-was-on-trumps-plane-to-china-elon-musk-nvidia-ceo-and-more