How Trump-Xi Chinese state dinner became the hottest ticket in DC and whos angling for a coveted seat
WASHINGTON — Next week’s White House state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping is turning into the hottest ticket in DC, with big tech and hedge fund bosses literally lobbying President Trump for a seat at the table. Many of the same honchos who traveled to Beijing with Trump this past May — a group that included Elon Musk, Nvidia chief Jensen Huang, Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman, and Facebook’s Dina Powell — are angling for a coveted invite to the Sept.24 fete, sources tell The Post.Huang is expected to attend, a source tells The Post.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is also attending, the company’s Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane told CBS Mornings on Wednesday.Tensions are high between the US and China as they battle for technological dominance.Beijing is worried about the US easing off guardrails on artificial intelligence, allowing the new technology unlimited growth.
And the US is concerned about China stealing advanced American technology.Trump has been clear he wants the US to beat China in the AI race.Some Chinese business executives are expected to attend as part of Beijing’s delegation and the state dinner will give the two sides a chance for informal diplomacy.Huang, Schwarzman, and Powell attended the April state dinner for Britain’s King Charles III.
That event was so in demand that it ended up overbooked.Many of the invites did not include a plus one.But so many of the invited billionaires wanted to bring their spouse to see the King and Queen — even dialing Trump to ask for an extra ticket — that administration staff who were originally invited were relegated to the Map Room in the basement of the White House — official Washington’s version of the kids’ table.There is no social secretary in the Trump White House and the president has taken a larger-than-usual role in formal events of state, enjoying playing host at the most famous address in the United States. First Lady Melania Trump is also heavily involved in the ...