NPR News: 05-11-2026 2PM EDT

President Trump's upcoming trip to China highlights a push for business ties amid lingering trade tensions. This NPR News Now episode also updates ongoing wars in Iran and Ukraine-Russia, domestic fallout from high gas prices, a court plea tied to an alleged assassination attempt, NBA draft lottery outcomes, and a record ruby from Myanmar.

Trump Leads Business Delegation to China

President Trump departs for China tomorrow with a high-profile group of over a dozen top U.S. executives, marking the first presidential visit there since his first term nearly nine years ago. The delegation includes Apple's Tim Cook, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, and Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX—who also co-led Trump's early second-term Department of Government Efficiency initiative. It features two executives each from BlackRock, Blackstone, Citigroup, and Goldman Sachs. NPR's John Ruich notes this occurs during a period of relative calm in U.S.-China trade relations, despite a festering trade war. The focus on business signals intent to promote deals and corporate interests, even as geopolitics—like the U.S.-Israel war with Iran—loom large.