WASHINGTON — President Biden hosted Bill and Hillary Clinton alongside billionaire Big Tech titans Wednesday night at the White House for a state dinner in honor of visiting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The Clintons and actor Robert De Niro joined the head table in the White House East Room, where more than 200 guests dined on house-cured salmon and dry-aged rib-eye steak.
Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos and Apple CEO Tim Cook sat at tables nearby.
JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who was spotted with wine glass in hand ahead of Biden and Kishida giving introductory toasts, were also toward the center of the room.
“We both remember the choices that were made to forge a friendship,” Biden, 81, said during his toast. “We both remember the hard work, what it has done to find healing.”
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife, Yuko Kishida, at the White House for a state dinner on April 10, 2024. AP Photo/Susan Walsh
Jeff Bezos and fiancee Lauren Sanchez arrive for a state dinner in honor of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House Wednesday. AFP via Getty Images
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arriving at dinner. Photo by DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images
Robert De Niro and Tiffany Chen at the state dinner. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
Bezos and Sanchez strut into the party on Wednesday. Getty Images
Figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi was invited to the White House. Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his wife, Evan M. Ryan, arriving at the dinner. Photo by DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images“Tonight,” the president continued, “we pledge to keep going.”
Kishida, 66, invoked “Star Trek” in his toast, pledging that the Japanese-US relationship would “boldly go where no one had gone before.”
Paul Simon, 82, provided the evening’s entertainment in the nearby State Dining Room — beginning shortly after 10 p.m. with the songs “Graceland” and then “Slip Slidin’ Away.”
First granddaughter Naomi Biden swayed to the music in her second-row seat — next to Bezos and just behind Vice President Kamala Harris — wearing a loose-fitting pink cherry blossom dress.
The former Simon & Garfunkel singer is reputed to be a favorite of first lady Jill Biden’s.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and his wife, Elissa Leonard, arriving at the White House. Photo by DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images
Bezos and fellow tech giant Tim Cook of Apple are attending the event. Getty Images
Neil Bluhm and Leslie Bluhm entering the Booksellers area of the White House. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and his wife, Kristin Cooper, entering the dinner. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
NASA administrator Bill Nelson and his wife, Grace Cavert, in the White House. Photo by DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images
Apple CEO Tim Cook attends the state dinner for Japan in the East Room of the White House on Wednesday. Getty Images
Biden’s granddaughter Naomi Biden with her husband, Peter Neal. Photo by DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty ImagesOthers attending the lavish celebration included figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, World Bank President Ajay Banga and United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain.
Unlike past state dinners, scandal-plagued first son Hunter Biden did not make an appearance, though other members of the first family were on the list, including first daughter Ashley Biden and Hunter’s daughters Finnegan and Naomi, as well as Naomi’s husband, Peter Neal.
The guest list included Jill Biden’s top aide Anthony Bernal, whom former colleagues accused last month of sexual harassment and bullying.
Bernal, who is widely regarded as one of the most powerful officials in the Biden White House due to his closeness to the first family, approached a reporter for The Post during the night’s festivities and introduced himself.
He did not respond to a question about whether it was appropriate for him to be present considering the allegations against him — as a press officer swooped in to end the exchange.
White House chief of staff Jeff Zients dismissed the allegations against Bernal as “unfounded” hours after receiving a request for comment — without investigating them.
Billionaires Neil Bluhm, a casino and real estate magnate, Jon Gray, a financier, Amos Hostetter, a cable TV pioneer, and Lynda and Stewart Resnick, agriculturalists, were also on the White House guest list, along with CEOs Larry Fink (BlackRock) and Megan Myungwon Lee (Panasonic North America).
Four governors, all Democrats, received invites: Kathy Hochul of New York, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Roy Cooper of North Carolina and Tony Evers of Wisconsin.
Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), a frequent Biden administration critic, was also on the list along with two of his Democratic colleagues, Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) was also invited.
