Elon Musk returns to White House for state dinner with Saudi Crown Prince Salman

ISTANBUL

Elon Musk attended a White House state dinner for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday evening, marking the tech executive’s first high-profile return to the East Room after months of public tension with US President Donald Trump.

The black-tie event, hosted by Trump, assembled a prominent mix of political leaders and corporate chiefs, according to a Newsmax report.

Attendees included Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, first lady Melania Trump, and House Speaker Mike Johnson.

The guest list extended beyond politics and business.

Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo was present, drawing a mention from the president, who told guests he had introduced Barron Trump to the athlete earlier in the evening. Opening his remarks, Trump said: “This room is loaded up with the biggest leaders in the world.”

June split over sweeping policy bill

Musk’s appearance was notable given his June clash with the administration over Trump’s sprawling reconciliation proposal, formally called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The dispute ended his role directing federal downsizing at the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency and triggered a public exchange of criticisms between the two on social media.

The pair were later seen together at the September funeral of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, but Musk had not returned to a major White House event until Tuesday.

The dinner capped an elaborate day of ceremonial pageantry. Earlier, Trump welcomed the crown prince on the South Lawn with a military band, a horseback procession, and a fighter-jet flyover.

The visit of the prince comes as Saudi Arabia continues to face scrutiny from US lawmakers and human-rights groups over the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an operation US intelligence agencies concluded the crown prince ordered, a finding the Saudi government disputes, along with broader concerns about civil liberties in the kingdom.

The administration has emphasized the strategic value of the US-Saudi partnership, highlighting cooperation on regional security and energy policy. Officials said the dinner was designed to underscore those ties and demonstrate support from influential political and business figures.