Melania Trump has arrived at the Governor’s Dinner hand in hand with the president amid a turbulent week for the White House.
The first lady entered the glitzy dinner donning shimmering silver pants and a black tie-front top, escorted by President Donald Trump in a classic tuxedo.
Despite the glitz and glamour, the night was marred by controversy.
Dozens of Democrats had threatened to boycott Saturday’s dinner if members of their party were blocked from Friday’s National Governors Association gathering.
Amid feuds with Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Trump proudly rescinded their invitations only to extend them again.
Despite Moore’s eventual attendance, some politicians, including Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, announced that they would not be in attendance Saturday night.
‘Trump has made this whole thing a farce,’ she said.
Others reportedly opted to attend an alternative event.
Melania and Donald Trump arrived hand in hand to the White House Governors’ Dinner
Melania wore glistening silver pants and a black tie-front top
The president told governors that the room at the dinner was full of ‘many, many friends and very competent people’
Trump and Melania greeted guests and state governors at the dinner
The president addressed guests who did not choose to boycott over disputes with Trump.
He said the room was full of ‘many, many friends and very competent people.’
‘We’ve transformed stagnation into growth, weakness into strength and chaos into order, liberty and justice,’ he said.
Trump claimed that within just one year, his administration had tackled inflation and crime and garnered worldwide respect.
The president then introduced Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who prayed over the meal.
‘We have a great leader, a great military leader named Pete Hegseth and he is going to say grace,’ said Trump.
‘He is a man who turned out to be absolutely fantastic at what he does and you know what he does…
‘He’s turned out to be an incredible inspiration to the men and women in our military.’
Hegseth prayed for the president’s ‘safety’ and ‘wisdom’ to kick off the glamorous evening.
The president boasted about the country’s military prowess and approach to crime and inflation
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the blessing prior to the high-profile dinner
Hegseth prayed for the president and the military as he helped kick off the dinner
Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance arrived at the dinner
JD Vance addressed the guests at the start of the Governors’ Dinner
‘We pray for our president, President Trump. Give him safety, give him wisdom.
‘Lord, we pray for our vice president, our first lady, our second lady, the cabinet members here, all the governors assembled here as well, our civil magistrates,’ he said.
‘I would be remiss if I did not pray for our great troops, our men and women all around the globe, defending our great nation as they have for 250 years. Lord God watch over them and protect them.’
Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, arrived at the dinner in black.
Vance addressed guests, admitting he ‘didn’t have anything prepared.’
‘Mr. President, what I admire so much about you and the governors is that you guys have to make decisions,’ he said.
‘You have to live by those decisions, and you have to suffer the consequences…The good thing about being the Vice President is that nobody blames you when anything goes wrong!’
‘To the governors here, we admire your courage, we admire your leadership and to the president of the United States, we admire you for all the great things you’re doing for our country,’ he said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly slipped out of the dinner twice, per the New York Post.
He was seen talking with CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott was in attendance, as Trump acknowledged him in his address to guests
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy was among those in attendance at the Governor’s Dinner
Secretary of State Marco Rubio seated at the Governors Dinner in the East Room
The president sat alongside Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry
The dinner came just after the president endured a major blow from the Supreme Court this week when it struck down his sweeping tariff policy on Friday.
Justices were divided six to three on the issue, ruling that his policy was not allowed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Trump appointees Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch were among those who voted against him.
In response, Trump called the justices who voted against him ‘very unpatriotic’ and publicly fired back on Truth Social.
‘What happened today with the two United States Supreme Court Justices that I appointed against great opposition, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, whether people like it or not, never seems to happen with Democrats,’ he wrote.
‘They vote against the Republicans, and never against themselves, almost every single time, no matter how good a case we have.’