List of state dinners in the United States

A state dinner in the United States is a formal dinner held in honor of a foreign head of state, such as a king, queen, president, or any head of government. It is hosted by the President of the United States and is usually held in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C. Other formal dinners for important people of other nations, such as a prince or princess, are called official dinners, the difference being that the federal government does not pay for them. Nowadays these dinners are more often black tie rather than white tie (see formal wear).

The first state dinner was held on December 22, 1874, by President Ulysses S. Grant to welcome King Kalākaua of the Kingdom of Hawai'i.

United States state dinners include a variety of dining events across the world, including conferences and summits. They influence many nations and their dining events. State dinners today have a lot more political significance than formerly, and are notably attended by prime ministers and presidents accompanied by politicians, entertainment and security services.

Ulysses S. Grant

Herbert Hoover

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Harry S. Truman

Dwight D. Eisenhower

John F. Kennedy

Lyndon B. Johnson

Richard Nixon

Gerald Ford

Jimmy Carter

Ronald Reagan

George H.W. Bush

Bill Clinton

George W. Bush

Barack Obama

Donald Trump

Joe Biden

See also

• List of dining events

References