Cristiano Ronaldo and Elon Musk attended a lavish White House dinner hosted by President Trump for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Portuguese soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and billionaire Elon Musk were among the guests at a lavish White House dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Also read: Cristiano Ronaldo nears historic 1000-goal milestone
Ronaldo, 40, who plays for Saudi club Al Nassr, took his seat near the head of the table shortly before Trump and the crown prince entered. The football legend’s contract with Al Nassr ends this summer.
“You know, my son is a big fan of Ronaldo,” Trump said in his pre-dinner remarks, adding that his 19-year-old son Barron got to meet the soccer star. “I think he respects his father a little bit more now, just the fact that I introduced you.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino also attended the black-tie event, ahead of the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States. Ronaldo said next year’s tournament, for which Portugal has qualified, will “definitely” be his last.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, also attended, signaling a thaw in his previously tense relationship with Trump.
Musk, who briefly led the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) earlier this year, was previously criticized by Trump in July for opposing federal spending bills and comments related to Jeffrey Epstein investigations.
At the dinner, Musk, dressed in a tuxedo, mingled with other guests, though at a separate table from Trump.
Meanwhile, Trump praised the Saudi crown prince as a “man of leadership,” defending him over the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Also read: Cristiano Ronaldo shines again with 949th career goal
The candlelit dinner reflected the ongoing high-profile ties between the US administration and Saudi leadership, drawing figures from sports, business, and global politics.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
