The soccer star was seated close to the entrance of the East Room, not removed from the place the President and Crown Prince gave remarks to officers from each nations, together with main enterprise leaders similar to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Tesla founder Elon Musk.
Mr. Trump, in his speech, made some extent of recognising Ronaldo, whom he mentioned he launched to his teenage son.
Ronaldo has been the face of the Saudi soccer league since becoming a member of Saudi membership Al-Nassr on the finish of 2022 on a reported $200 million-a-year contract.
The 40-year-old Portuguese star signed a two-year extension in June with Al-Nassr, which is majority owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund that the crown prince chairs.
MR. Trump thanked the athlete for attending. He mentioned that his youngest son, Barron, is a “large fan” of Ronaldo and the 19-year-old was impressed that he acquired to fulfill the soccer participant.
Cristiano Ronaldo, centre, attends a dinner with President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman within the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. | Photo Credit: AP
“Barron acquired to fulfill him. And I believe he respects his father a little bit bit extra, now, simply the truth that I launched you,” Mr. Trump mentioned.
Prince Mohammed was visiting the White House for the primary time since a interval of diplomatic isolation started in 2018 after the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi brokers in a consulate workplace in Istanbul. US intelligence companies decided that Prince Mohammed probably directed the operation. He has denied involvement within the killing.
It was a uncommon U.S. go to for Ronaldo, who hasn’t performed within the nation since 2014.
In 2017, German information journal Der Spiegel reported that Ronaldo had years earlier paid $375,000 in hush cash to a lady who accused him of raping her at a Las Vegas resort in 2009. Ronaldo’s legal professionals maintained the intercourse was consensual and no prison costs ever have been filed.
World Cup connection
Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup after FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, formed a fast-track bidding course of two years in the past that helped guarantee there was no rival bid.
Ronaldo promoted that bid, saying final December when the Saudi win was confirmed “after what I see, I’m extra satisfied that 2034 would be the greatest World Cup ever.”
Ronaldo is ready to play at a file sixth version of the World Cup subsequent yr after Portugal certified on Sunday for the event co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. However, he probably can be banned by FIFA for Portugal’s first recreation subsequent June after getting his first pink card final week in 23 seasons enjoying for the nationwide staff.
Portugal will study its World Cup opponents on December 5 on the event draw, which Mr. Trump is ready to attend on the Kennedy Center in Washington.
Mr. Trump has intently aligned himself with the 2026 World Cup. In the Oval Office he has a duplicate of the golden trophy loaned to him by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Musk-Trump reconciliation?
Elon Musk additionally joined the dinner with Mr. Trump on the White House, the second joint public look since a bitter public feud earlier this yr.
Mr. Musk’s attendance might be an indication of reconciliation in a turbulent relationship between the Tesla CEO and the U.S. President.
Elon Musk sits throughout a dinner with President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman within the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. | Photo Credit: AP
Mr. Musk supported and funded Mr. Trump’s election final yr and have become a detailed adviser to his administration early this yr, main the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and overseeing cuts to federal funding and jobs.
But the 2 quickly had a falling out. The billionaire businessman took to social media to assault Mr. Trump’s sweeping tax and spending invoice as fiscally reckless, and mentioned he deliberate to create a brand new political social gathering. Mr. Trump hit again threatening to chop off the billions of {dollars} in subsidies that Mr. Musk’s corporations obtained from the federal authorities.
The feud, together with Mr. Musk’s far-right political rhetoric, harm Tesla’s model picture, gross sales and inventory worth, analysts have mentioned.
Mr. Musk and Mr. Trump have not often come collectively publicly since. Mr. Musk was final noticed shaking arms with Mr. Trump at a memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September.
