Notably absent from the dinner were Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO and former Trump ally, and Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s chief executive and Fortune‘s Most Powerful Person in Business. Musk claimed on social media that he “was invited, but unfortunately could not attend,” though initial reports suggested he was not on the guest list. Huang, meanwhile, has a pattern of skipping high-profile events, preferring direct one-on-one meetings. The event followed an AI education summit hosted earlier that day by First Lady Melania Trump and served as the first major gathering in the Rose Garden since its renovation was completed in August 2025....