Tonight marked a big first at the White House a brand-new Rose Garden dinner that brought together some of the world’s most powerful tech leaders. But one name was missing from the guest list: Elon Musk.
President Donald Trump hosted more than two dozen influential figures, including Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), Tim Cook (Apple), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Sam Altman (OpenAI), and Sergey Brin (Google). The dinner followed a separate event on Artificial Intelligence hosted by First Lady Melania Trump.
A White House spokesperson called the Rose Garden Club “the hottest place to be in Washington, or perhaps the world,” emphasizing that the newly renovated stone patio will now serve as a centerpiece for high-profile events, not just the traditional lawn gatherings.
So why was Musk excluded?
Reports suggest the relationship between Musk and Trump remains rocky. The two have clashed over Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” and while Musk once held a government role leading the Department of Government Efficiency, he has not been on the best terms with the administration since. His absence from the guest list may be the clearest sign yet that the feud hasn’t cooled.
Meanwhile, the invitees reflect the administration’s focus on AI, innovation, and technology policy. Alongside the big names, several entrepreneurs and venture capitalists were invited, including Safra Catz (Oracle), Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Lisa Su (AMD), Alexandr Wang (Scale.ai), and David Sacks, who is now serving as the White House’s czar on AI and cryptocurrency.
The dinner highlights how the White House is positioning itself at the center of global tech conversations. But Musk’s exclusion is raising eyebrows especially given his central role in AI, electric vehicles, and space innovation.
Whether this is a temporary snub or a long-term freeze in relations remains to be seen, but for now, the Rose Garden spotlight belongs to others in Silicon Valley.
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