A dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday evening, November 18, was attended by several global VVIPs, including Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo and Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk. The event was organised for Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Trump was seen wearing a tuxedo, and First Lady Melania Trump stood beside him as they welcomed the Saudi prince on the red carpet. The star-studded guest list included Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Tesla founder Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, golfer Bryson DeChambeau and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
Guests were served pistachio-crusted rack of lamb, followed by a couverture mousse pear for dessert. During the dinner, Trump praised the Saudi crown prince as “a man of leadership,” having previously defended him over the 2018 murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Cristiano Ronaldo was seated near the front of the East Room, close to where the president and crown prince delivered their remarks to officials from both nations. It was a rare US visit for Ronaldo, who has not played in the country since 2014.
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Ronaldo has been the face of the Saudi football league since joining Al-Nassr at the end of 2022 on a reported $200 million-a-year contract. The 40-year-old Portuguese star signed a two-year extension in June with Al-Nassr, which is majority-owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund chaired by the crown prince.
Trump thanked Ronaldo for attending and said his youngest son, Barron, is a “big fan.” He added that the 19-year-old was thrilled to meet the football star.