U.S. First Lady Melania will not accompany President Trump on his visit to China. Instead, Trump’s second son Eric and his wife Lara will be part of the delegation.
Melania previously accompanied Trump on his visit to China in 2017.
Trump is making a state visit to Beijing from May 13 to 15. This is his first visit to China in his second term, and the first visit to China by a U.S. president since 2017.
The presence of Eric, who now manages the Trump family business, has attracted much attention. A spokesperson for the Trump Organization previously clarified that Eric is joining the trip purely in his personal capacity as a “supportive son,” and is not involved in any business activities.
The delegation list includes cabinet-level officials such as Secretary of State Rubio, U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth, and Trade Representative Greer. In addition, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Miller and Communications Director Steven Cheung are also on the list.