— President Donald Trump moved a planned Rose Garden dinner with top technology executives indoors to the State Dining Room after heavy rain in Washington, D.C.; attendees included Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, Bill Gates and Sam Altman, and the gathering followed a White House AI event hosted by First Lady Melania Trump.
Key Takeaways
- The dinner was relocated from the newly renovated Rose Garden to the State Dining Room because of heavy rain on Sept. 4, 2025.
- Expected guests included Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), Tim Cook (Apple), Bill Gates (Microsoft cofounder) and Sam Altman (OpenAI); Sundar Pichai spoke at the First Lady’s earlier event and attended.
- Elon Musk was not expected to attend in person and said he would send a representative.
- Jared Isaacman is listed as attending; his NASA nomination was withdrawn in May and OpenSecrets records show mixed political donations.
- The Rose Garden renovation removed grass, added stone paving, embedded presidential seals and new drainage and lighting systems.
Verified Facts
The move indoors occurred on the evening of Sept. 4, 2025, when sustained rain made the Rose Garden unsuitable for an alfresco dinner. The White House confirmed the change and said the event took place in the State Dining Room.
White House officials and attendee lists identify Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman among those expected to attend. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai spoke at the First Lady’s afternoon artificial-intelligence event and then joined the evening gathering.
Elon Musk posted on X that he had been invited but could not attend and would send a representative. Two people familiar with the guest list said Jared Isaacman was slated to be present; Isaacman’s withdrawn NASA nomination and political donation history are recorded by OpenSecrets.
The dinner would have been the first to be held on the newly renovated Rose Garden patio, which has been resurfaced with stone and outfitted with embedded seals, flag-styled drainage grates, new lighting and speakers.
Context & Impact
Hosting major tech figures signals continued White House interest in direct engagement with the technology sector, especially as the First Lady staged a public-focused AI event the same day. Such meetings can set the tone for future conversations on regulation, AI policy and public-private cooperation.
The Rose Garden changes — including a paved patio and new fixtures — have drawn attention for their aesthetic and symbolic resonance with the president’s private properties and for the logistics they introduce to White House grounds management.
For tech companies and executives, an in-person meeting at the White House remains an important venue for influence and access; attendance by high-profile CEOs underscores the sector’s centrality to policy debates over AI, data and competition.
“The Rose Garden Club at the White House is the hottest place to be in Washington, or perhaps the world,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said, adding the president looks forward to welcoming business, political and tech leaders to the renovated space.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle
Official Statements
“The robots are here. Our future is no longer science fiction,” First Lady Melania Trump said during the afternoon AI event she hosted at the White House.
First Lady Melania Trump
Unconfirmed
- Whether specific policy commitments or signed agreements resulted from the dinner has not been disclosed publicly.
- Full attendee list and the detailed agenda for the dinner have not been released.
- Any follow-up meetings or formal partnerships announced as a direct result of this dinner were not confirmed at publication.
Bottom Line
Rain forced a quick logistical change but did not prevent a high-profile White House engagement with the tech sector. The meeting highlights the administration’s effort to convene technology leaders as AI and related policy issues remain a priority. Observers will watch for public statements or policy moves that follow these direct discussions.