President Donald Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at a black-tie dinner at the White House on Tuesday, using the gathering to reaffirm Washington’s ties with Riyadh and showcase support from some of the world’s biggest figures in business, technology, energy and sports.
The crown prince’s visit — his first to the White House in over seven years — included a ceremonial welcome on the South Lawn featuring a military honour guard, cannon salute and a flyover by US warplanes.
The event comes as Mohammed bin Salman seeks to rehabilitate his global image following the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and to deepen US–Saudi cooperation on security, civil nuclear development and major business deals.
A star-studded dinner at White House
At the evening dinner, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greeted the crown prince on the red carpet before leading him into the East Room, where guests from the global finance, tech and sports worlds had gathered.
The guest list included Apple CEO Tim Cook, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Chevron CEO Mike Wirth, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, Blackstone co-founder Stephen A. Schwarzman, Dell CEO Michael Dell, Paramount Global CEO David Ellison, and Ford Motor executive chair William Clay Ford Jr. Members of the Trump family, including Donald Trump Jr., were present.
One of the night’s biggest attractions was Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese football icon — now the face of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr club — was seated near the front of the East Room.
Trump acknowledged him during his remarks, saying his son Barron was thrilled to meet the soccer legend.
“Barron got to meet him. And I think he respects his father a little bit more, now, just the fact that I introduced you,” Trump said.
Ronaldo, who signed a lucrative deal with Al-Nassr and later extended it, rarely visits the United States. His appearance highlighted Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in the global sports industry.
Also in attendance was FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has close ties with both Trump and the crown prince. Infantino played a key role in helping Saudi Arabia secure hosting rights for the 2034 World Cup.
Trump even displayed a golden replica of the World Cup trophy in the Oval Office, loaned to him by Infantino.
The World Cup is scheduled to be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States across 16 cities, welcoming 48 teams to compete (expanded from 32).
World Cup and geopolitics intersect
The dinner also underscored the shared interests of Trump, Mohammed bin Salman and FIFA leadership ahead of major global sporting events.
Ronaldo has praised Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid, saying last December, “after what I see, I'm more convinced that 2034 will be the best World Cup ever.”
Portugal will learn its 2026 World Cup opponents on December 5 in Washington — a draw Trump is expected to attend.
Elon Musk’s high-profile appearance
Elon Musk’s presence drew particular attention, marking his second public appearance with Trump since a public feud earlier this year.
The Tesla CEO had previously supported Trump, even serving as an adviser and leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Relations soured after Musk attacked Trump’s tax and spending bill, prompting Trump to threaten subsidies for Musk’s companies.
The dinner hinted at a thaw in relations, with Musk’s presence signaling what many view as an effort to repair a rocky relationship between the world’s richest man and the US president.
Why the dinner matters
The strategic backdrop to the visit became clearer on Tuesday when Trump announced that Saudi Arabia would be designated a "major non-NATO ally", a step that elevates the kingdom’s security relationship with the United States.
According to a senior US administration official, the two governments were preparing to finalise agreements tied to the $600 billion Saudi investment pledge Trump secured during his May visit to the kingdom.
The official said the package includes dozens of targeted projects, expanded civil nuclear cooperation, major defence sales, and a multibillion-dollar Saudi investment in US artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Trump also confirmed a major arms deal in the works, telling reporters on Monday, "We'll be selling" F-35s to Saudi, in reference to Riyadh’s request for 48 of the advanced stealth aircraft.
If approved, it would mark the first US sale of F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia, representing a policy shift that could reshape the region’s military balance. The move would also test Washington’s longstanding commitment to maintaining Israel’s “qualitative military edge,” as Israel remains the only Middle Eastern nation operating the F-35.