WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump heads to Asia on Friday for the first time this term, a trip where he’s expected to work on investment deals and peace efforts before meeting face-to-face with Chinese President Xi Jinping to try to deescalate a trade war.

The president, who is scheduled to leave the White House late Friday night, will have a long-haul flight that has him arriving in Malaysia on Sunday morning, the first stop of a three-country sprint.

His trip comes as the U.S. government shutdown drags on. Many federal workers are set to miss their first full paycheck this week, there are flight disruptions as already-squeezed air traffic controllers work without pay, and states are confronting the possibility that federal food aid could dry up. As Republicans reject Democratic deman

See Full Page