In a lengthy charm offensive toward Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump went as far as to shield his official guest when a question was raised about the murder of journalist Khashoggi.

The highlight, however, was the lavish dinner attended, among others, by the richest man in the world, one of the most famous football players, the head of world football’s governing body, and dozens of corporate executives from the finance, technology, and energy sectors.

Also shining by her presence was U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, who for the occasion chose a shimmering emerald strapless gown, with many noting that this is the color of the Saudi Arabian flag.

As the New York Times notes, the prince’s reception marked an exceptional moment in diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, as this was his first visit to the United States since the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, for which U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that the prince had ordered the killing.

Trump and Bin Salman emphasized that their cooperation would yield benefits for both countries, as the U.S. agreed to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, while the prince promised to invest nearly $1 trillion in the United States.

The Football Representatives

Among the standout figures at the dinner was Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays in Saudi Arabia’s league with Al Nassr, with Riyadh having invested billions of dollars in recent years to attract world-class players.

Also at the dinner was FIFA President Gianni Infantino, since on one hand the U.S. is preparing to co-host the 2026 World Cup, and on the other he is a close friend of Prince Mohammed and played a role in awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia. The FIFA president openly campaigned in favor of Saudi Arabia’s bid, pushed for investments, and created rules that almost certainly guaranteed the tournament for the Gulf state.

The Business Figures

Among the tycoons present in the East Wing, Elon Musk stood out in his first visit to the White House since his dramatic departure from the Trump administration. As the NYT notes, Musk may have spent years accusing the Public Investment Fund—Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund—of derailing his attempt to take Tesla private, but he has accepted Saudi investments in X and xAI.

Also at the dinner was Apple CEO Tim Cook, whose company has spent over $2 billion on firms in Saudi Arabia over the past five years, with Cook having committed to opening Apple Stores in the Gulf state by 2026. Apple also hosts a Saudi app that allows men to track the movements of their wives and daughters.

Michael Dell, CEO of Dell, was present as well. The technology company has pursued significant business operations in Saudi Arabia, including establishing a distribution center in Dammam earlier this year. In February, the company also signed a memorandum of understanding with Aramco, the state oil company, to “explore opportunities” in various areas, including artificial intelligence.

Cisco Systems was represented by its CEO Chuck Robbins. In May, Robbins visited Saudi Arabia to secure a deal with Humain, a Saudi AI startup. Cooperation between the two sides dates back to early 2018, before Khashoggi’s murder, when Cisco agreed to collaborate with Saudi Telecom Company on installing a 5G network in the country.

Also present—represented by CEO Jensen Huang—was Nvidia, the AI chip giant, which announced in May that it would sell about 18,000 of its latest chips to power new data centers.

From the guest list, the New York Times also highlighted Paramount Global CEO David Ellison, whose company is the parent of CBS, MTV, and Hollywood’s oldest film studio. Ellison is attempting to acquire Warner Bros-Discovery, hoping for the involvement of Saudi Arabia’s investment fund.

Chevron CEO Mike Wirth was also present, as the second-largest U.S. oil company has extensive business ties with Saudi Arabia, producing oil and natural gas on behalf of the kingdom in the neutral zone between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Citi CEO Jane Fraser also sampled the dishes prepared for the Saudi prince. In October, she was appointed co-chair of the U.S.–Saudi Arabia Business Council, which encourages business relations between the two countries. At the same time, in a move encouraged under Prince Mohammed’s economic plans, Citi last year obtained a license to establish its regional headquarters in Riyadh.

Also at the White House was Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, as Saudi Arabia is the largest automotive market in the Middle East.

Representing the Trump family was the U.S. president’s eldest son, Donald Jr., who helps run the family business—the Trump Organization—along with his younger brother, Eric. Donald Trump Jr. served as a liaison with Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, during his father’s 2016 presidential campaign. The Trump Organization has a long history of business dealings with Saudi Arabia, ranging from real-estate transactions in the Middle East to hosting Saudi-funded golf tournaments on Trump properties. Since Trump’s return to the White House, his sons have also secured a series of new real-estate deals, including three new developments in Saudi Arabia.