Donald Trump’s state dinner for Xi Jinping is meant to honor the Chinese president. Yet the room may feel more like a gathering of America’s business elite.
Some of the biggest names in technology are expected at the White House on Thursday night. The reported lineup includes Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook are also expected, according to a report by Newsweek.
Their presence is no coincidence. The United States and China are locked in a fierce contest over artificial intelligence. Computer chips have become another major flashpoint. Many of the people attending the Trump-Xi dinner run companies caught in the middle.
Who is expected at the Trump-Xi dinner?
While the White House has not released the complete guest list, here’s a list of tech moghuls expected to attend the high-profile dinner.
- Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla have confirmed plans to attend, Reuters reported.
- Apple CEO Tim Cook and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang are expected at the dinner.
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk is expected to join them. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has also reportedly secured an invitation. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman may be there too.
- Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai is another reported guest. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has also been invited, CNBC reported.
- The financial sector will have a presence as well. Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser and JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon are expected to attend.
Why Trump invited America’s technology leaders
Every invitation carries some political weight for this dinner, hence every renowned tech leader is expected to attend.
Nvidia’s chips are central to US export controls on China. Apple relies on China as a manufacturing base and a major market. Tesla runs a large factory in Shanghai.
OpenAI and Google are competing for leadership in artificial intelligence. Both companies could be affected by decisions made in Washington or Beijing.
The guest list shows how closely diplomacy is now tied to technology. A discussion about China can quickly become a conversation about chips or AI rules.
The missing guests may be just as important
Chinese business leaders were initially expected to travel with Xi.
Names under consideration reportedly included executives from electric vehicle maker BYD and smartphone company Xiaomi. Representatives from battery makers CATL and Gotion were also discussed.
Xi eventually arrived without the proposed group. The reason for the change remains unclear, Reuters reported.
Their absence gives the evening an uneven feel. American CEOs are likely to be highly visible. Chinese companies will have far less representation.
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Trump’s Dinner for Xi Looks More Like a Silicon Valley Summit
What the Xi Jinping dinner reveals
Trump and Xi have plenty to discuss away from the dinner table. Trade remains a difficult issue. Taiwan is another source of friction. Washington also wants dependable access to rare-earth minerals.
While the dinner may not resolve those disputes, it could still offer business leaders a rare chance to be heard by both presidents.
The White House said official delegations would be joined by business leaders and government officials.
FAQs
When is the Trump-Xi dinner?
The state dinner is being held on September 24, 2026.
Where will the dinner take place?
Trump will host the event in the White House East Room.
