Trump Hosts Tech CEOs in Renovated Rose Garden, Elon Musk Absent

President Donald Trump recently hosted top executives from the technology sector at a lavish dinner in the newly renovated Rose Garden at the White House. However, there was a notable absence of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk who had a public split with Trump earlier this year.

Background and Context

The dinner was the first event held in the Rose Garden since it was renovated. The U.S. president had stone pavers installed in the garden after complaining that the existing grass was unsuitable for hosting large events¹. It saw the presence of tech industry leaders, including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Apple’s Tim Cook, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman².

Key Developments

During the event, Trump went around the table, asking executives about their investment plans in the country³. The dinner also served as a showcase for billion-dollar promises of investment in artificial intelligence⁴. “This is quite a group to get together,” said Meta chief and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, who was seated at Trump’s right side⁵.

First Lady Melania Trump hosted an artificial intelligence meeting alongside this event with industry leaders, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai⁶. She inaugurated a taskforce on artificial intelligence and schools, focusing on how to integrate AI into childhood education⁷.

Despite this, Elon Musk, who was once inseparable from Trump and a constant presence in the White House, was not in attendance. The Tesla CEO stated on his social media platform X that he was invited but could not make it⁸².

Implications and Reactions

The event underscored the Trump administration's focus on AI, with Melania Trump stating that AI could become the greatest engine of progress in the history of the United States of America⁶. However, she also warned that as leaders and parents we must manage AI’s growth responsibly⁶.

The absence of Elon Musk caused a stir, given his previous close alliance with Trump. While the official reason for his absence was not disclosed, it is known that Musk had a public split with Trump earlier this year⁹.

Conclusion

The dinner served as a platform for the Trump administration to engage with tech industry leaders about the future of AI and its implications for the U.S. Despite the absence of Elon Musk, the event was successful in showcasing the potential of AI, and the commitment of the tech industry to invest in its growth.

Finally, during the event, President Trump also mentioned plans to impose fairly substantial chip tariffs soon¹⁰, indicating the administration's ongoing focus on the tech sector.