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High-Profile Business Leaders Join Trump for China Summit

A delegation of prominent American business leaders, including Elon Musk and Tim Cook, will accompany President Trump to China for a summit with President Xi Jinping. This meeting aims to address trade imbalances and strengthen economic ties between the two nations. The trip marks a significant thaw in relations between Trump and Musk, following a previous public dispute. Notably absent from the delegation is Nvidia's Jensen Huang. The summit is expected to yield major announcements regarding trade agreements and investments, including potential purchases of Boeing aircraft and agricultural products. This meeting comes after years of strained relations and trade tensions between the US and China.
By Narendra Chaudhary May 12, 2026, 02:22 IST

Business Delegation Accompanies Trump to China


A prominent group of American business leaders, including Elon Musk and Tim Cook, are set to accompany President Donald Trump to China for a summit with President Xi Jinping later this week, as confirmed by a White House representative. This delegation will feature key figures from Wall Street, technology, and manufacturing sectors, aiming to stabilize economic relations after years of trade disputes. Notable attendees include Larry Fink, Kelly Ortberg, and Dina Powell McCormick.


This visit is part of Trump's efforts to rectify what he perceives as a trade imbalance between the United States and China, urging Beijing to boost its purchases of American goods such as aircraft, soybeans, and energy resources.


Improving Relations Between Trump and Musk

Trump and Musk Ties Repaired?


The upcoming trip also indicates a warming of relations between Trump and Musk, following a public fallout in 2025. The two had a contentious exchange after Musk criticized Trump and called for his impeachment, while Trump suggested Musk could face deportation despite having appointed him to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Since then, their relationship has improved, with Musk participating in several White House events related to SpaceX.



However, tensions lingered over the nomination of Musk's ally Jared Isaacman to head NASA. Initially, Trump withdrew Isaacman's nomination but later reinstated it as relations with Musk improved. Musk's political activities have coincided with declining earnings at Tesla, amid scrutiny regarding his government role.


Notable Absences from the Delegation

Nvidia Chief Absent


Interestingly, Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, known for producing advanced chips essential for the global AI sector, will not be part of the delegation. Chuck Robbins was also invited but will miss the trip due to a prior earnings call commitment, as stated by a company representative. It remains uncertain which executives will join Trump on Air Force One and which will arrange their own travel.


List of Executives Attending the Summit

Full List of Executives Travelling to China


The White House has indicated that the following executives are expected to be part of the US delegation:



  • Apple – Tim Cook


  • BlackRock – Larry Fink


  • Blackstone – Stephen Schwarzman


  • Boeing – Kelly Ortberg


  • Cargill – Brian Sikes


  • Citigroup – Jane Fraser


  • Coherent – Jim Anderson


  • GE Aerospace – H Lawrence Culp


  • Goldman Sachs – David Solomon


  • Illumina – Jacob Thaysen


  • Mastercard – Michael Miebach


  • Meta – Dina Powell McCormick


  • Micron Technology – Sanjay Mehrotra


  • Qualcomm – Cristiano Amon


  • Tesla / SpaceX – Elon Musk


  • Visa – Ryan McInerney



Anticipated Outcomes of the Summit

What is Expected at the Summit?


Reports suggest that the United States and China may announce new initiatives aimed at enhancing trade and investment relations. Chinese officials are likely to reveal significant purchases of Boeing aircraft, American agricultural products, and energy supplies. Historically, major commercial agreements have been disclosed during high-level discussions between the two nations. Additionally, both parties are expected to negotiate an extension of a temporary truce in their trade conflict, which currently permits the ongoing export of rare earth minerals from China to the US. The topic of aviation sales is anticipated to be a focal point during the discussions. Earlier this year, Ortberg mentioned that Boeing was counting on the Trump administration to facilitate a long-awaited order from China. Industry insiders have indicated that talks could involve up to 500 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, along with numerous widebody jets powered by GE Aerospace engines. If finalized, this would represent China's first major Boeing order since 2017 and could become the largest aircraft order in history. This summit follows years of strained relations between Washington and Beijing, characterized by a trade war that led both nations to impose significant tariffs and threaten restrictions on strategic exports. Trump and Xi last convened in South Korea in October, where they agreed to halt escalating trade measures that had included substantial US tariffs on Chinese goods and Chinese threats to limit rare earth mineral exports.