NPR News: 05-12-2026 11PM EDT

President Trump is traveling to Beijing for a state visit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, arriving Wednesday evening, amid ongoing trade discussions. A new poll underscores public skepticism toward U.S. tariffs on China, while other headlines include the FDA commissioner's abrupt exit, inflation spiking from the Iran war, uneven progress on House redistricting, and boycotts shadowing the Eurovision Song Contest.

Trump China Trip and Tariff Poll

President Trump is en route to China for talks with Xi Jinping, with trade a key focus after he addressed reporters on the topic. Separately, a Chicago Council on Global Affairs-Ipsos poll via MPR finds most Americans view U.S. tariffs as harmful to both U.S. and Chinese economies, while raising consumer prices. Physical therapist Elisa Gottschalk-Warsaw in the Chicago area paid an extra $20 on a Chinese-made board game due to tariffs, calling them a "bad" deal for the country. In contrast, North Carolina's David Morgan, whose furniture business collapsed from Chinese low-wage competition, supports tariffs, noting orders dried up. The poll identifies broad support for a potential fix: reducing tariffs in exchange for China purchasing more U.S. agricultural products.