Trump and Musk Travel Together on Air Force One to Beijing

com. The joint travel marks their first high-profile public appearance together since a public dispute nearly a year earlier. Trump and Musk had a public falling out in May 2025 over the president's One Big Beautiful Bill. Musk said he was disappointed by the legislation's large price tag and that it undermined spending cuts advanced by the Department of Government Efficiency.

The disagreement escalated when Musk posted tweets, since deleted, accusing Trump of complicity in an Epstein Files cover-up. Days after those posts, Musk issued an apology on X. "I regret some of my posts about President [Donald Trump] last week," Musk wrote.

com) Musk's regular appearances with Trump at the White House ended after the dispute. The two were seen together in September 2025 at a memorial service for Charlie Kirk. Musk continued some political activity after the feud by donating to certain Republican campaigns.

He also pledged to cover salaries for TSA workers during a government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security.

Tuesday, Musk confirmed he was aboard Air Force One with the president and his entourage for the visit to China. He was one of more than a dozen business executives on the flight, which also included chief executives from major technology and finance companies.

The trip includes discussions between Trump and Chinese officials on foreign policy, trade and artificial intelligence. Tensions have increased in recent months over sanctions and rare earth exports. The executives are joining the presidential delegation in hopes of securing business dealings and purchase agreements with Chinese entities.