The Secret ‘Air Drive One’ Visitor Who Modified Every thing
Prime US executives from tech giants to agriculture have been invited to hitch President Donald Trump as he’s set to reach in Beijing on Wednesday for his extremely anticipated summit along with his Chinese language counterpart Xi Jinping. Trump stated he would urge Xi Jinping to “open up” to US enterprise on his method to the summit, including that Nvidia’s Jensen Huang to a bunch of CEOs travelling with him when he stopped in Alaska en route.
Trump would be the first president to go to China in practically a decade and is keen to land some financial wins and prop up public approval scores bruised by his conflict with Iran.
President Donald Trump waves from the steps of Air Drive One as he boards upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Tuesday, Could 12, 2026, for a visit to China to satisfy President Xi Jinping. (AP Picture)
Right here’s a take a look at a number of the CEOs travelling with Trump:
Elon Musk: Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk as soon as led Trump’s Division of Authorities Effectivity earlier than exiting the controversial company in spring 2025. The division itself was shut down later that yr. Musk’s relationship with Trump turned turbulent final summer season after a public feud during which the billionaire accused the administration, with out proof, of hiding data associated to Jeffrey Epstein. He later admitted regretting a few of his posts on X.
Since then, Musk has shifted focus again to Tesla and his different ventures. With main enterprise pursuits in China, Musk has made a number of visits to the nation. He’s additionally dealing with stress in Europe, the place French prosecutors are pursuing expenses tied to little one sexual abuse materials, deepfakes, disinformation and alleged AI-related misconduct on X and Grok. Individually, Musk stays locked in a authorized battle with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Tim Cook dinner: Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner is getting ready to step down after practically 15 years on the helm of the tech big. Cook dinner not too long ago introduced he’ll hand over CEO duties to Apple {hardware} chief John Ternus on September 1, whereas staying on as govt chairman.
Below Cook dinner, Apple’s valuation surged by greater than $3.6 trillion through the iPhone growth. However his tenure additionally required cautious navigation of US-China tensions, particularly through the Trump-era commerce wars. Cook dinner beforehand satisfied Trump to spare the iPhone from first-term tariffs, however confronted more durable challenges throughout Trump’s present administration.
Whereas Trump pushed Apple to shift manufacturing again to the US, Cook dinner diminished tariff publicity by transferring manufacturing for US-bound iPhones to India and securing exemptions after pledging a $600 billion US funding.
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Kelly Ortberg: Boeing CEO Robert “Kelly” Ortberg, who took cost in 2024 after beforehand main Rockwell Collins, has spent a lot of his first yr making an attempt to stabilise the aerospace big amid regulatory troubles, manufacturing setbacks and mounting monetary stress.
Ortberg had earlier stated the US-China commerce conflict wouldn’t derail Boeing’s restoration, regardless of Chinese language airways resisting deliveries of Boeing plane. Beijing’s retaliatory tariffs, raised to 125% after Trump hiked duties on Chinese language items, sharply elevated prices for American-made jets.
Nonetheless, Boeing’s publicity to China has diminished over time, with fewer plane now being delivered there. The corporate nonetheless stays in talks with Beijing over a possible main plane 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 Know-how CEO Sanjay Mehrotra
- Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon
- Visa CEO Ryan McInerney
Chuck Robbins, chief govt and chairman of Cisco, had additionally been invited to be part of the journey, “however is unable to resulting from earnings,” BBC reported, citing an organization spokeswoman.
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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 language officers in South Korea to protect final yr’s commerce truce. The go to contains conferences with President Xi Jinping, a state banquet, and a cease on the Temple of Heaven.
CEOs travelling with Trump
Jensen Huang
Nvidia
★ Final-minute add
Tim Cook dinner
Apple
★ Farewell journey
Stephen Schwarzman
Blackstone
H. Lawrence Culp
GE Aerospace
David Solomon
Goldman Sachs
Michael Miebach
Mastercard
Dina Powell McCormick
Meta (President)
Sanjay Mehrotra
Micron Know-how
“I can be asking President Xi, a Chief of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China in order that these sensible folks can work their magic.”
— Donald Trump, on Reality Social
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THE FALLOUT
From DOGE to deep freeze
As soon as a fixture of Trump’s inside circle, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has spent the previous yr drifting away from the administration after a public falling-out and is now navigating prosecution danger in Europe and a long-running struggle with OpenAI.
SPRING 2025
Exits DOGE. Leaves the Division of Authorities Effectivity he helped lead. The division itself is shut down later that yr.
SUMMER 2025
Public feud with Trump. Accuses the administration — with out proof — of hiding Epstein-related data. Later admits regretting a few of his X posts.
PIVOT
Refocus on Tesla and ventures. Makes a number of visits to China, the place Tesla has main enterprise pursuits.
NOW
Authorized stress on two fronts. French prosecutors pursue expenses tied to CSAM, deepfakes, disinformation and alleged AI-related misconduct on X and Grok. Locked in a separate authorized battle with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
⚖
French prosecution
CSAM, deepfakes, disinformation and AI misconduct allegations linked to X and Grok.
⚡
OpenAI standoff
Ongoing authorized battle with Sam Altman reveals no signal of decision.
◆
China balancing act
A number of private visits to Beijing hold Tesla’s largest progress market in play — with out flying with Trump.
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THE HANDOVER
15 years, a report valuation, and an India pivot
Cook dinner will hand CEO duties to Apple {hardware} chief John Ternus on September 1 and keep on as govt chairman. Below his watch, Apple’s valuation surged by greater than $3.6 trillion — however the tenure additionally demanded cautious diplomacy round US-China tensions.
$3.6T+
Valuation gained underneath Cook dinner
Sep 1
Ternus takes over as CEO
①
First-term iPhone exemption
Cook dinner satisfied Trump to spare the iPhone from first-term tariffs — a precedent he leaned on once more this time period.
②
Manufacturing shift to India
Moved manufacturing of US-bound iPhones to India to cut back publicity to China tariff escalations.
③
$600 billion US funding pledge
Secured exemptions from Trump’s present administration in change for a report home funding dedication.
④
Then: govt chairman
After September 1, Cook dinner stays on board as govt chairman whereas Ternus takes operational reins.
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THE BACKDROP
A truce either side wish to hold
Below the October commerce truce, Trump paused steep tariffs whereas China eased restrictions on uncommon earth exports important to EVs and defence. Bessent’s parallel talks with Chinese language Vice Premier He Lifeng intention to protect that established order as Trump arrives in Beijing.
🇺🇸 Washington needs
- Extra Boeing plane purchases
- Elevated shopping for of US agriculture
- Higher US power imports
- Approval for Nvidia’s H200 AI chips
- China to “open up” to American corporations
🇨🇳 Beijing needs
- Looser US restrictions on chipmaking tech exports
- No new tariff escalations
- Uncommon earth easing to stay reciprocated
- Pushback on US arms gross sales to Taiwan
- Establishment on Iran, semiconductor talks
“Conserving the established order slightly than escalating tensions is already optimistic. However the Trump administration arguably wants this assembly greater than China does.”
— Liu Qian, Founder, Wusawa Advisory (Beijing)
Supply: Indian Specific reporting on Trump’s CEO delegation to Beijing, parallel Bessent-He Lifeng talks in South Korea, and the October commerce truce.
As Trump ready for the high-profile go to, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held talks with Chinese language officers in South Korea to protect the delicate commerce truce reached final yr between Washington and Beijing.
Lots of the CEOs accompanying Trump signify firms making an attempt to resolve main enterprise challenges in China. Nvidia, for instance, has struggled to acquire approval to promote its superior H200 AI chips within the Chinese language market.
Trump stated he deliberate to induce Chinese language President Xi Jinping to additional open China’s economic system to American companies.
Jensen Huang reportedly joined the journey on the final minute after a direct request from Trump. He was later seen boarding Air Drive One throughout a refuelling cease in Alaska forward of Trump’s arrival in Beijing for conferences with Xi, together with a state banquet and a go to to the Temple of Heaven.
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Past commerce, discussions are anticipated to cowl the Iran battle, Taiwan, semiconductor restrictions and broader geopolitical tensions.
In the meantime, China reiterated its opposition to US arms gross sales to Taiwan, whilst a proposed $14 billion weapons package deal awaits Trump’s approval.
On the identical time, Bessent’s negotiations with Chinese language Vice Premier He Lifeng targeted on sustaining the October commerce truce, underneath which Trump paused steep tariffs whereas China eased restrictions on uncommon earth exports important to industries starting from EVs to defence.
Washington can also be pushing for elevated Chinese language purchases of Boeing plane, US agriculture and power merchandise, whereas Beijing needs looser US restrictions on chipmaking expertise exports.
(With inputs from businesses)
