Jensen Huang Gets Last-Minute Invite to Join Trump’s China Trip, Boards Air Force One With Musk

U.S. export controls on advanced AI chips to China have left NVIDIA facing both national-security scrutiny in Washington and uncertainty in the Chinese market. Whether Chief Executive Jensen Huang joined the delegation was therefore seen as an important signal on U.S.-China technology policy. Trump’s trip marks the first visit to China by a U.S. president in nine years, putting AI, semiconductors and market access on the leaders’ diplomatic agenda.

Trump personally called Huang on May 12, 2026, the day of his departure, to invite him on the trip. Huang boarded Air Force One during a refueling stop in Anchorage, Alaska, for the flight to Beijing. More than 10 business leaders were traveling with Trump, including Tesla and SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk and Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook. The visit was scheduled for May 14–15.