Cristiano Ronaldo Joins Donald Trump at White House Dinner: Cristiano Ronaldo made a rare appearance in Washington on Tuesday as he attended a high-profile White House dinner hosted by President Donald Trump in honor of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The superstar forward was seated near the front of the East Room, close to where Donald Trump and the crown prince addressed top officials and business leaders, including Apple’s Tim Cook and Tesla’s Elon Musk.
Donald Trump took a moment during his remarks to acknowledge Ronaldo, mentioning that he had introduced the football legend to his teenage son.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Growing Ties to Saudi Arabia
Since joining Al-Nassr at the end of 2022 on a reported $200 million-a-year deal, Ronaldo has become the face of the Saudi Pro League. The 40-year-old also signed a two-year extension with the club in June. Al-Nassr is majority-owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, which Crown Prince Mohammed oversees.
Trump thanked Ronaldo for attending, sharing a light moment about his son, Barron.
“Barron got to meet him. And I think he respects his father a little bit more, now, just the fact that I introduced you,” Trump said.
Crown Prince Mohammed’s Return to Washington
This visit marked the crown prince’s first trip to the White House since 2018, when U.S. ties with Saudi Arabia became strained after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Prince Mohammed likely approved the operation, though he has denied involvement.
For Ronaldo, it was also a rare stop in the U.S., as he hasn’t played a match in the country since 2014.
Past Allegations Resurface
In 2017, German magazine Der Spiegel reported that Ronaldo had paid $375,000 in hush money to a woman who accused him of rape in Las Vegas in 2009. His legal team said the encounter was consensual, and no criminal charges were filed.
Ronaldo and Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup Plans
Saudi Arabia is set to host the 2034 World Cup after FIFA fast-tracked the bidding process, leaving the kingdom as the only formal bidder. Ronaldo supported the campaign and said last December, when the hosting rights were confirmed, “after what I see, I’m more convinced that 2034 will be the best World Cup ever.”
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Elon Musk is there too!
This is what true CLASS looks like.
47 knows how to be an amazing host. pic.twitter.com/lutnxNHDqy
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 19, 2025
A Record Sixth World Cup on the Horizon
Ronaldo is expected to play in his sixth World Cup next year after Portugal secured qualification for the 2026 tournament which will be hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. However, after receiving the first red card of his national team career last week, he is likely to miss Portugal’s opening match.
Portugal will discover its group-stage opponents on Dec. 5 at the World Cup draw, which Donald Trump is also scheduled to attend at the Kennedy Center.
Donald Trump has shown a strong connection to the upcoming tournament. In the Oval Office, he even displays a copy of the World Cup trophy on loan from FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
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