The White House published the complete guest list for the state dinner held by U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, an event marking Xi’s first official visit to the United States in over a decade. The gathering included more than 100 attendees, comprising government officials, corporate leaders, and their spouses, alongside members of the Trump family.
The Chinese delegation primarily featured government representatives, including members of the Communist Party’s Central Committee and senior diplomats. Xi arrived with his wife, Peng Liyuan, and key advisors such as Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, and Cai Qi, his chief of staff. On the U.S. side, Trump hosted First Lady Melania Trump, her father Viktor Knavs, Vice President JD Vance, and his wife Usha.
Corporate representation included technology executives central to U.S.-China trade disputes. Apple’s Tim Cook, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, AMD’s Lisa Su, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman were confirmed attendees. Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Google’s Sundar Pichai also appeared, though Anthropic’s leadership was notably absent.
Diplomatic gestures and trade tensions
Preceding the dinner, Xi and Trump engaged in talks where Xi described progress in bilateral relations as “substantial.” Trump presented Xi with a bald eagle statue, a symbolic gesture amid ongoing trade negotiations. Both presidents sat at the head table with their spouses and corporate leaders during the event.
Earlier speculation suggested Chinese business leaders might attend, but a source familiar with preparations told CNBC they weren’t aware of any Chinese companies who have been invited. The guest list excluded state-owned enterprises and private firms, limiting participation to government officials.
The dinner featured a two-course meal with silky yellow squash velouté, sesame-crusted sea bass, and a dessert incorporating honey from the White House apiary. The event concluded Xi’s three-day visit on Friday.
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Additional attendees included Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh with their spouses, as well as financial executives such as BlackRock’s Larry Fink, Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon, and Citigroup’s Jane Fraser. The guest composition highlighted the event’s dual role as a diplomatic showcase and a gathering of influential business and government figures.
Among attendees were Brad Gerstner, CEO of Altimeter Capital, and David Ellison, CEO of Vital Skydance, alongside political operatives including Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff. The guest list illustrated the personal and professional networks shaping U.S. policy toward China.
Who was left out—and why
This marked Trump’s first state dinner since taking office, with the guest list illustrating the personal and professional networks shaping U.S. policy toward China. The exclusion of Chinese business leaders raised questions about whether the focus remained on government-level relations or if broader economic engagement would follow through separate channels.
The dinner’s staging emphasized cooperation through seating arrangements and symbolic gestures, though underlying tensions over trade, technology, and geopolitical influence persisted unaddressed.
Economic representation included executives from major financial institutions and industrial firms. Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon, Citigroup’s Jane Fraser, BlackRock’s Larry Fink, and Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman-whose firms manage trillions in global assets-were present, signaling attention to financial stability and investment flows. Industrial leaders such as General Motors’ Mary Barra, ExxonMobil’s Darren Woods, and Lockheed Martin’s Jim Taiclet also attended, indicating discussions on manufacturing, energy, and defense.