Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the guests of honour of a White House state dinner on Tuesday night as US President Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington DC.
Ronaldo dined alongside some of the world’s most powerful people in an event that also marked the return of tech mogul Elon Musk to the White House after a fleeting feud with Trump. The footballer was seated near the front of the East Room alongside Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
In his speech to guests ahead of the dinner, the US president singled out Ronaldo, whom he introduced to his 19-year-old son Barron.
“My son is a big fan of Ronaldo,” Trump said. “Barron got to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little bit more now, just the fact that I introduced you.” The president added it was “an honour” to host the Portuguese footballer at the White House.
Ronaldo’s presence helped mark the crown prince’s first visit to Washington in seven years. The 40-year-old forward, who extended his Al-Nassr contract in June, has been central to Saudi Arabia’s sporting push and publicly championed the kingdom’s successful bid to host the 2034 World Cup.
For Ronaldo, the trip marked his first return to the US in nearly a decade. The footballer had not visited the country since 2016, following a long absence that began after Kathryn Mayorga accused him in 2017 of raping her in a Las Vegas hotel in 2009. In 2023, US courts dismissed Mayorga’s appeal, in which she sought US$25 million (around €23.6 million) in damages from the Portugal captain.
He will be returning soon, though, as Portugal has qualified for the 2026 World Cup which will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Meanwhile, the crown prince’s appearance at the White House also carried heavy political weight. It marked his first visit since 2018, when he plunged into a period of diplomatic isolation following the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. US. intelligence agencies later assessed that Prince Mohammed had likely approved the operation, a claim he has repeatedly denied.
Tensions briefly resurfaced earlier in the day when Trump snapped at a reporter who raised Khashoggi’s name during the prince’s visit. Trump quickly spoke up, insisting that bin Salman “knew nothing about it” and calling one reporter “fake news” for raising the topic.
“You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question like that,” Trump told the journalist.
