Trump takes Elon Musk, Apple CEO, and Wall Street giants to China for high-stakes showdown

WASHINGTON – All eyes are on US President Donald’s high-stakes visit to China, and this time, POTUS is coming with an unusual entourage, not just diplomats, but some of the most powerful figures in global business, like Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and a lineup of Wall Street and corporate giants are joining him on a trip that blends politics with billion-dollar interests. The visit, scheduled for May 13–15, 2026, marks Trump’s first trip to China during his second term and the first official visit by a sitting U.S. president in nearly a decade. But this is far more than a ceremonial diplomatic stop. Behind the scenes, the summit is shaping up as a high-stakes economic showdown aimed at redefining the future of U.S.-China relations amid rising tensions over trade wars, Taiwan, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, and global power competition. White House confirmed that 16 top business leaders will join Trump in Beijing for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins was originally expected to attend but later pulled out, adding even more intrigue to an already closely watched trip. Perhaps the most eye-catching development is Elon Musk’s return to Trump’s inner orbit. Once considered politically distant after a public falling-out with the administration last year, Musk now appears fully back in the president’s circle. His presence in Beijing signals not only the restoration of ties between the world’s richest man and the White House, but also the growing influence of corporate leaders in shaping U.S. foreign policy. Trump plans to push for the creation of a “U.S.-China Board of Trade” and a “Board of Investment”, ambitious new mechanisms designed to manage economic relations between the world’s two largest economies. The idea is to establish clear rules on what goods, technologies, and investments can continue flowing despite growing geopolitical hostility and national security concerns. Sources close to the talks say massive c