【AI前沿】US orders travelers on Air Force One to throw away gifts, pins, and burner phones after China trip

In BriefPosted:8:42 AM PDT · May 15, 2026Image Credits:Alex Wong / Getty ImagesLorenzo Franceschi-BicchieraiUS orders travelers on Air Force One to throw away gifts, pins, and burner phones after China tripPresident Trump and a delegation of U.S. officials left Beijing on Friday after two days of high-level talks with the Chinese government, led by President Xi Jinping.Before boarding Air Force One, White House staffers and reporters had to surrender various items collected during the trip, including staff burner phones, credential badges, and lapel pins issued by China. Those traveling on Air Force One threw those objects in a bin at the bottom of the plane’s stairs, according to a journalist in the White House press pool.“Nothing from China allowed on the plane,” Emily Goodin, the White House correspondent for the New York Post, wrotein a post on X.Photos from the trip show several people in the U.S. government delegation, including Trump, White House communications director Steven Cheung, Apple chief executive Tim Cook, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, and Secret Service agents, all sporting pins on their coat lapels.Contact UsWere you on the Air Force One trip to China for the summit? Do you have more information about the order to throw away items? From a non-work device, you can contact Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai securely on Signal at +1 917 257 1382, or via Telegram and Keybase @lorenzofb, oremail.Goodin did not explain why officials and reporters had to throw away those items, though presumably for security reasons. While the summit appeared cordial, China remains a key adversary of the United States, given its advanced intelligence and espionage capabilities. The U.S. and its allies have long accused China of spying and carrying out cyberattacks.It’s not far-fetched to believe some of the gifted items could be bugged, as governmentshave done before. It’s also reasonable to assume the burner phones were likely targeted during the trip. Burner phones are designed to be new and dedicated devices that can be used where attacks can be assumed and later thrown out.Spokespeople for the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.TopicsChina,cybersecurity,Donald Trump,espionage,In Brief,OPSEC,Security,U.S. government,White HouseMay 27Athens, GreeceStrictlyVC Athens is up next. Hear unfiltered insights straight from Europe’s tech leaders and connect with the people shaping what’s ahead. Lock in your spot before it’s gone.REGISTER NOWNewslettersSee MoreSubscribe for the industry’s biggest tech newsTechCrunch Daily NewsEvery weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage.TechCrunch MobilityTechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight.Startups WeeklyStartups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly.StrictlyVCProvides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day.No newsletters selected.SubscribeBy submitting your email, you agree to ourTermsandPrivacy Notice.RelatedSecurityOpenAI says hackers stole some data after latest code security issueLorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai2 days agoSecurityA spyware investigator exposed Russian government hackers trying to hijack Signal accountsLorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai2 days agoSecurityKaspersky suspects Chinese hackers planted a backdoor into Daemon Tools in ‘widespread’ attackZack WhittakerMay 5, 2026Latest in SecuritySecurityA hotel check-in system left a million passports and driver’s licenses open for anyone to seeZack Whittaker13 hours agoIn BriefUS orders travelers on Air Force One to throw away gifts, pins, and burner phones after China tripLorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai16 hours agoSecurityOpenAI says hackers stole some data after latest code security issueLorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai2 days ago