President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan for a state dinner in the East Room of the White House. First Lady Melania Trump oversaw the preparations for the event, which was attended by official delegations, business leaders, and government officials. The dinner aimed to showcase a blend of American culinary traditions with subtle Chinese influences, reflecting diplomatic ties.
The menu for the evening commenced with a toast of Schramsberg “Blanc De Noir,” a nod to the historic “Toast to Peace” between President Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai in 1972. The first course featured a Yellow Squash Velouté with Wild Mushroom Fricassée, crispy pancetta, and scallion oil, highlighting seasonal flavors. The main course was a Sesame Crusted Sea Bass accompanied by braised baby bok choy, roasted garden eggplant, and a vibrant sauce verte. Dessert consisted of Vanilla Crémeux & White House Honey Ice Cream, walnut frangipane, and sour cherry confit.
Several performances were scheduled for the formal dinner, including classically trained tenor Christopher Macchio, who performed at the 2025 Presidential Inauguration. Military musicians from the United States Marines Corps and the United States Army, such as “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus, also provided entertainment. The guest list included numerous technology industry titans, such as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Tesla and SpaceX’s Elon Musk, Google’s Sundar Pichai, OpenAI President Greg Brockman, and Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell.
