Trump Hosts Tech Leaders at White House, Musk Not Invited
President Donald Trump is set to host a formal dinner for leading technology executives in the newly renovated White House Rose Garden. Elon Musk is notably absent from the invitation list.
Tech Giants Among Attendees
The dinner will bring together some of the biggest names in technology, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Oracle CEO Safra Catz, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The meeting comes a day after First Lady Melania Trump hosted an event on artificial intelligence.
Revamped Rose Garden as Venue
The dinner will be the first official event held in the newly refurbished Rose Garden. The redesigned stone patio reportedly draws inspiration from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and will now serve as a backdrop for high-profile government and industry interactions.
Policy Context and Outreach
The event highlights Trump’s effort to deepen engagement with technology leaders at a time when Washington is shaping new policies on artificial intelligence, global trade, and workforce diversity. Analysts view the meeting as a signal of the administration’s intent to align more closely with Silicon Valley on innovation and regulation.
Musk’s Absence Reflects Tensions
Elon Musk’s exclusion underscores ongoing tensions between the Tesla and SpaceX chief and Trump. Their relationship soured earlier this year after disagreements over trade and policy direction, with Musk’s advisory roles to the administration being revoked. His absence from the guest list is seen as further confirmation of strained ties.
