NPR News: 05-13-2026 10PM EDT

President Trump's upcoming state visit to Beijing highlights ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions, while domestic news includes a Medicaid fraud crackdown, new COVID origins testimony, Federal Reserve leadership changes, wildlife disease concerns, and adjustments to World Cup travel rules. This NPR News Now roundup covers these developments without a single dominant theme.

U.S.-China Trade War and Trump-Xi Meeting

The trade war between the U.S. and China continues to inflict mutual economic damage. U.S. firms are shifting suppliers away from China, while China has reduced purchases of U.S. soybeans and restricted access to essential minerals and metals for U.S. manufacturers. Ahead of President Trump's state visit to Beijing, Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the need for the U.S. to produce its own goods rather than relying on any single country, including China, for 100% of critical needs. Rubio argued this dependency creates vulnerability for the U.S., while China seeks global reliance on its supplies for leverage. Their interests clash fundamentally on this point. Trump is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping soon, with the U.S. pushing to reshape the trading relationship.