US President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at a state dinner at the White House on Thursday, bringing together prominent business leaders, technology executives and Washington powerbrokers as the two countries continue to face disagreements over trade, Taiwan and artificial intelligence.

The dinner formed part of Xi’s visit to Washington and was marked by elaborate ceremony, a high-profile guest list and a menu prepared by First Lady Melania Trump. Trump used the occasion to emphasise his personal relationship with Xi and project a warm tone around the visit.

High-Profile Guests At White House Dinner

The guest list included some of the biggest names in technology and business. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was seen signing autographs as guests arrived, while Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang attended in a tuxedo rather than his trademark black leather jacket. LVMH chief Bernard Arnault also arrived at the White House.

Other expected guests included Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI President Greg Brockman and Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell.

Trump had highlighted the significance of the gathering earlier in the week during the UN General Assembly session. “Everyone wants to be there. It’s the hottest ticket in town,” he said.

Asked on Monday who would attend the dinner, Trump replied, “sort of everybody,” adding, “I would say you have the entire tech world, the entire banking world and a lot more.”

Trump Emphasises Personal Ties With Xi

The dinner followed an arrival ceremony in which Trump and Xi reviewed troops as trumpets played. Trump referred to the relationship he has developed with the Chinese president since his first election campaign.

“From the time of my first election in 2016 President Xi and I have forged a friendship,” Trump said during the ceremony.

Trump had also taken the unusual step of greeting Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, when they arrived at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington on Wednesday. Presidents typically receive visiting leaders at the White House rather than personally greeting them at the military airfield.

Edgard Kagan, senior adviser and chair in China studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the dinner was expected to showcase “the positive vibes surrounding the visit” and demonstrate that “the president is very focused on signalling warmth and a close personal connection with Xi.”

State Dinner Menu And White House Symbolism

The dinner menu was designed by Melania Trump and began with yellow squash veloute accompanied by wild mushrooms, fresh herbs, crispy pancetta and scallion oil.

The main course consisted of sesame-crusted sea bass served with braised baby bok choy, roasted garden eggplant and sauce verte. Dessert was vanilla cremeux with sour cherry confit and walnut frangipane, accompanied by ice cream made using honey from the White House.

The formal dinner also echoed a state dinner Xi hosted for Trump in Beijing in May. That event was held beneath the chandeliers of the Great Hall of the People and included technology leaders such as Apple CEO Tim Cook and Musk.

Trump has drawn comparisons between that venue and the ballroom he is constructing at the White House, which he has called the “Great Hall of the United States”. Referring to China’s Great Hall of the People, Trump recently said, “This is a very large hall,” before adding, “But we’re gonna top it.”

From McDonald’s Remark To Formal Diplomacy

The elaborate dinner represented a contrast with Trump’s own comments about state dinners during his first presidential campaign. In 2015, as then-President Barack Obama prepared to host Xi, Trump suggested a much less formal approach.

“Just take them to McDonald’s and go back to the negotiating table,” Trump said at a rally in South Carolina. He later told Fox News that Xi might at least deserve “probably a double-size Big Mac.”

Xi had previously visited Trump in 2017. According to the White House at the time, the Chinese side had requested that the meeting be held at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, providing a more informal setting than a formal summit in Washington.

Trump later recalled another striking moment from that meeting, when he told Xi during a discussion over what he described as “the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you’ve ever seen” that US forces had launched strikes against Syria.

Trump said he told Xi that the US had “just fired 59 missiles” and that China’s president “was eating his cake. And he was silent.”

Thursday’s state dinner combined formal ceremony, prominent guests and carefully planned symbolism as the White House sought to highlight the personal relationship between Trump and Xi alongside the broader political significance of their meeting.

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