NPR News: 05-16-2026 6AM EDT

Windsor Johnston· Host0:00

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. President Trump is back in Washington after wrapping up a trip to China. The talks focused on trade, Taiwan, and tensions in the Middle East, but Trump offered few concrete details about potential agreements, including whether the US will move forward with a major weapons package for Taiwan. In an interview with Fox News, Trump said his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping remains central to negotiations between the two countries.

Donald Trump· Soundbite0:33

I think the most important thing is, uh, relationship. It's all about relationship. I have a very good relationship with President Xi and with China.

Windsor Johnston· Host0:41

The White House says both leaders agreed Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and stressed the importance of keeping global shipping routes open. Grain markets fell after President Trump left Beijing with no firm trade deal for American soybean farmers. NPR's Kirk Siegler reports many farmers are nervous going into the planting season because China has historically been their largest buyer.

Kirk Siegler1:09

There had been hope that the summit would result in China committing to buy even more than the twenty-five million metric tons of soybeans that the White House says it's agreed to annually. That's only a verbal agreement, and nothing out of the summit was put on paper, nor was there a deal to buy even more, which caused prices to plummet by twenty-four cents. Here's analyst Brian Split on the podcast Standard