First Trump State Dinner Brings Billionaires And Administration Officials

There's arguably nothing grander in the nation's capital than a state dinner.

The red carpet gets rolled out, the silverware is shined, and the coveted guest list is winnowed down.

State dinners are intricate diplomatic dances filled with pageantry and symbolism — and they take months to plan. The world is watching and every choice from the china pattern to the flowers is scrutinized.

First lady Melania Trump carefully prepped for Tuesday night's state dinner honoring French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, the first of the Trump administration and a big moment for a first lady who prefers to keep a low profile.

The evening got underway around 6 p.m., as the first of 120 guests arrived, posing for the cameras in front of a wall of French and American flags.

Among the first guests to arrive were Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen. Reporters asked Mrs. Pence how Melania was doing in her role. The vice president answered instead, saying simply "breathtaking."

Other familiar Trump administration faces included Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, Chief of Staff John Kelly, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, White House aide Stephen Miller, and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

With nods to her predecessors, first lady Melania opted to use the Clinton and George W. Bush china for the dinner service, to match the color scheme of cream and gold. - Read More, NPR

First Trump State Dinner Brings Billionaires And Administration Officials

First State Dinner: A Chance For Melania Trump To Put Her Stamp On The White House