Superstar footballer Cristiano Ronaldo attended a White House black-tie dinner on Tuesday night, alongside US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
Speaking ahead of the event, President Trump said it was an “honour” to host Ronaldo, whose role in the Saudi Pro League has made him a face of the country’s modernisation efforts. Saudi Arabia is seeking to reduce its dependence on oil revenues by diversifying into sectors such as sports and tourism.
While the White House confirmed Ronaldo’s attendance, it did not clarify if he was part of the crown prince’s official delegation. Critics of Saudi investments argue that such high-profile sports engagement is aimed at improving the country’s image abroad—a practice known as ‘sportswashing’.
During his speech, Trump praised stronger ties with Saudi Arabia, calling it a “major non-NATO ally,” and turned to Ronaldo, noting: “My son is a big fan of Ronaldo. And Baron got to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little bit more now, just the fact that I introduced you.”
Also attending the dinner were tech billionaire Elon Musk, along with other business leaders including Apple CEO Tim Cook. This marked Musk’s first White House visit since leaving the Trump administration’s Department for Government Efficiency (Doge) in April, following months of public feuding with the former president.
Ronaldo’s appearance at the White House is one of his first known visits to the US since 2016. In the interim, he faced sexual assault allegations from Kathryn Mayorga regarding an incident in 2009, which he denied, and US prosecutors later decided not to pursue charges.
Since early 2023, Ronaldo has played for Al Nassr, the Saudi Pro League club owned by the Public Investment Fund chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
BY SPORTS DESK
The post Ronaldo dines with Trump, Saudi crown prince at White House appeared first on Ghanaian Times.
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