Trump to host top tech CEOs — except Musk — at White House dinner Thursday

In a notable gathering of the tech elite, President Donald Trump is set to host a dinner at the White House on Thursday evening, featuring an impressive roster of CEOs from leading technology companies. Among the attendees are Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, as confirmed by the White House. However, one prominent figure will be missing from the guest list: Elon Musk. Once considered an ally of Trump, Musk's relationship with the president has soured after a public fallout earlier this year. This shift is particularly significant given Musk's previous role in the administration, where he was charged with overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency. The dinner will take place in the newly renovated Rose Garden, which has been transformed with tables, chairs, and umbrellas, reminiscent of the outdoor setting at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. White House spokesman Davis Ingle remarked on the allure of the Rose Garden Club, stating, "The president looks forward to welcoming top business, political, and tech leaders for this dinner and many more on the new, beautiful Rose Garden patio." This event follows a meeting of the White House's newly established Artificial Intelligence Education task force, chaired by First Lady Melania Trump. Several of the dinner guests are expected to also participate in discussions aimed at enhancing AI education for American youth. The guest list is further bolstered by tech luminaries such as Google founder Sergey Brin, CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Oracle CEO Safra Catz. Notably, Jared Isaacman, a former associate of Musk, will also be in attendance. Isaacman was initially nominated by Trump to lead NASA, but that nomination was rescinded amid tensions between Trump and Musk. This exclusive event has drawn significant attention, with reports highlighting the high stakes and influential nature of the discussions likely to unfold during the evening.