Elon Musk joins Trump's lavish White House dinner for Saudi Crown Prince amid thawing tensions
By bellecarter // 2025-11-21
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  • Elon Musk attended a White House dinner hosted by President Trump in honor of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, marking a cooling of tensions after their public feud earlier in the year. The event also drew other global elites like Tim Cook, Jeff Bezos and Cristiano Ronaldo.
  • The dinner highlighted U.S.-Saudi relations amid ongoing controversy over Saudi Arabia's human rights record, including the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, while Trump emphasized strategic ties with Riyadh.
  • Despite past clashes with Trump and libertarian skepticism of centralized power, Musk's attendance signals a strategic recalibration, given his companies' reliance on global supply chains and regulatory approvals.
  • The gathering showcased Trump's dealmaking influence ahead of a potential 2028 run, while Musk's alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 reforms and Trump's base on issues like AI regulation suggests mutual opportunism.
  • The event underscored the blurred lines between business, politics and ideology—raising questions about whether this signals a deeper realignment or a fleeting display of elite power dynamics.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk attended President Donald Trump's black-tie White House dinner Tuesday evening, Nov. 18, honoring Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—marking Musk's first appearance at the executive mansion since his public rift with Trump earlier this year. The high-profile gathering, held in the East Room, also drew Apple CEO Tim Cook, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo, signaling a convergence of global business, politics and celebrity power. The dinner underscored a notable cooling of tensions between Musk and Trump, who had clashed in June. Yet their shared presence—alongside Saudi Arabia's controversial crown prince—raised eyebrows amid ongoing scrutiny of U.S.-Saudi relations and Musk's own geopolitical influence. BrightU.AI's Enoch recalls that Musk and Trump's public feud erupted after Musk condemned congressional pork-barrel spending, exposing deep-seated corruption and corporate influence—ultimately sparking a rare bipartisan push for transparency, including demands to release the Epstein files and Trump's defiance against billionaire oligarchs.

A gathering of titans

"This room is loaded up with the biggest leaders in the world," Trump declared to attendees, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and House Speaker Mike Johnson. The lavish affair featured a military horseback procession and fighter jet flyover earlier in the day, part of an elaborate welcome for Prince Mohammed, who has sought to modernize Saudi Arabia while facing allegations of human rights abuses. Musk, seated prominently among guests, has been a polarizing figure in Washington. As CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, he has both collaborated with and criticized federal agencies, most notably through his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative aimed at streamlining bureaucracy. His attendance at the dinner—just weeks after he and Trump were seen together at conservative activist Charlie Kirk's memorial—suggests a pragmatic realignment.

Controversy and diplomacy

The event unfolded against a backdrop of geopolitical unease. Saudi Arabia remains under fire for its role in the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a killing linked to Prince Mohammed by the U.S. intelligence. Trump, however, has prioritized strategic ties with Riyadh, emphasizing energy security and counterterrorism. Musk's involvement adds another layer. His companies rely on global supply chains and regulatory approvals, making alliances with world leaders crucial. Yet his outspoken libertarian views and skepticism of centralized power have sometimes put him at odds with both parties. "Elon operates in a realm where business and politics blur," said a former White House official, speaking anonymously. "His presence here is about leverage, not loyalty." The dinner may signal a broader recalibration. Musk has recently amplified concerns about government overreach, particularly on issues like AI regulation and pandemic policies—themes that resonate with Trump's base. Meanwhile, Prince Mohammed's Vision 2030 economic reforms align with Musk's ventures in renewable energy and tech infrastructure. For Trump, the evening was a chance to showcase his dealmaking prowess ahead of a potential 2028 run. "He wants to project strength and connectivity," said a GOP strategist. "Having Musk and Bezos in the same room is a flex." As the night concluded, the lingering question was whether the gathering marked a fleeting moment or a deeper realignment. For Musk—a self-described "humanist" with ambitions stretching from Mars to media—the answer may hinge on which alliances best serve his vision of the future. One thing is certain: In a divided era, the intersection of money, power and ideology has never been more consequential. Watch the video below that talks about the then-intensifying feud between Musk and Trump. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

100PercentFedUp.com TheHill.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com
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