Trump Brings Together Artificial Intelligence Tycoons at the White House Without Elon Musk

• Trump brings together AI tycoons
• Musk absent at the White House
• Zuckerberg and Gates in attendance

U.S. President Donald Trump hosted a dinner at the White House on Thursday with more than a dozen of the top leaders of the Artificial Intelligence industry.

The meeting, initially planned as the inauguration of the renovated garden at the presidential residence, ended up taking place in an indoor hall due to a rainstorm that hit Washington in the afternoon.

Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania, welcomed the guests at a large table where each participant had a microphone to speak.

At his side sat Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, while Melania occupied the seat across from him.

Trump Brings Together AI Tycoons at the White House

Technology 🇺🇸💬 | Washington, Sept 4 (EFE).— U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed more than a dozen of the top Artificial Intelligence moguls at a White House dinner during the failed inauguration of one of the… pic.twitter.com/6Aq7UUMbUd

— PanAm Post Español (@PanAmPost_es) September 5, 2025

Among the attendees were Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and other executives from leading tech firms shaping the future of AI.

The notable absentee was Elon Musk, who had been invited but announced through his X account that he could not attend and would send a representative in his place.

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The original idea was to hold the dinner in the Rose Garden, which Trump had redesigned with a Mar-a-Lago–inspired style, complete with tables and umbrellas placed on new pavement.

Weather conditions forced the event indoors at the residence, though the guest list and planned protocol remained unchanged.

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Trump opened the dinner with a friendly remark, saying he knew all of the guests “indirectly” and that he had closer ties with some.

Zuckerberg was the first to speak, noting that “all the companies here are making significant investments” to strengthen the infrastructure that will support the next wave of innovation.

Gates followed, thanking what he called Trump’s “incredible leadership” and stressing the importance of bringing together those who are “changing the world within their field.”

The dinner was marked by an atmosphere of mutual praise between the president and the AI industry moguls, who agreed on the importance of coordinating efforts in a field advancing at high speed.

Melania Promotes Education

Earlier in the day, Melania Trump led a meeting of the White House’s new Artificial Intelligence Education Commission, where she declared that “the robots are already here” and that “our future is no longer science fiction.”

With this gathering, the administration aims to send a message of leadership in a sector that has become central to global competition and a cornerstone of the country’s tech policy.