WATCH: Trump Hosts Elite Tech CEOs at White House Dinner, Elon Musk Not Included

President Donald Trump hosted a high-profile dinner at the White House for a group of top tech CEOs, notably excluding Elon Musk. The dinner featured prominent figures such as Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Google founder Sergey Brin, and others from major AI and technology companies. The event followed a meeting of the White House's new Artificial Intelligence Education task force, chaired by First Lady Melania Trump, emphasizing the administration's focus on AI and domestic investments.

Elon Musk, once a close Trump ally and head of the Department of Government Efficiency, was absent due to a public fallout with Trump earlier in the year. Musk criticized Trump's policies and the "Big Beautiful Bill," which he claimed would increase federal spending and debt. In contrast, tech leaders at the dinner reinforced their commitment to investment in the U.S., with Zuckerberg pledging large investments and others discussing AI advancements. The dinner was held in the State Dining Room after rain led to a change of venue from the newly renovated Rose Garden, where Trump recently replaced the grass with a paved area.

The gathering highlighted the shifting dynamics within the tech sector's relationship with the Trump administration, focusing on collaboration in AI and tech investments despite internal political tensions. Jared Isaacman, once allied with Musk and previously nominated by Trump to head NASA, was also at the dinner amid withdrawn nominations related to political differences.

This event symbolized an effort by Trump to engage the tech industry as a key driver of economic growth, especially in artificial intelligence, while Musk's absence underscored ongoing divisions between the former president and some tech leaders.pbs+4