An impressive guest list including Robert De Niro, Jeff Bezos, former Presidents Bill and Hillary Clinton, and figure skater Christy Yamaguchi descends on the White House for a state dinner for Japan. Ta. Rib-eye steak and pistachio cake were to be served at the gala event, but politics didn’t appear to be on the menu.
“Oh, I’m having a great time tonight,” Hillary Clinton, who arrived hand-in-hand with the former commander-in-chief, told reporters when asked about her thoughts on the 2024 presidential race.
The 42nd president told ITK it was “amazing” to be back at the White House for the Biden administration’s fifth state dinner, a black-tie gala honoring Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The two men pointed and laughed as they noticed a portrait of former Secretary of State Bill Clinton hanging in the East Colonnade, where some of the more than 200 guests that night entered for dinner.
Amazon CEO Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez arrived at the White House, which is decorated with a giant decorative fan and a floor space painted with murals of flowers, golden butterflies and koi carp. Smiling, he declined to answer questions about whether he supported it. President Biden’s challenge for re-election.
De Niro, one of Hollywood’s most vocal critics of former President Trump, remained uncharacteristically quiet about politics while moving through the White House with girlfriend Tiffany Chen.
When asked what he thought about the election, the 80-year-old “Killers of the Flower Moon” actor replied, “What do you think?”
Mr. Yamaguchi, who supported Mr. Biden in 2020, did not expect Mr. Biden to participate in the campaign this year, but said to reporters, “Go, Joe.”
Other guests include Vice President Harris and Doug Emhoff, Apple CEO Tim Cook, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and Sen. Maisie Hirono. (D-Hawaii), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and Democratic Governor. Kathy Hochul (New York), Josh Shapiro (Pennsylvania), Roy Cooper (North Carolina), the president’s daughter Ashley Biden, and grandchildren Finnegan Biden and Naomi Biden.
During the toast, Biden addressed the audience regarding relations with Japan, saying, “Today, without question, our alliance is literally stronger than ever before.”
“Japan and the United States will stand together,” Biden said.
In his remarks, Kishida said he was stunned and speechless by the “numerous distinguished Japanese and American guests” at the dinner.
“My wife, Yuko, also left breathless, but only said that it was difficult to tell who the guest of honor was. So, I was relieved when she was shown to a seat next to the president,” said Kishida. I laughed jokingly.
Quoting “Star Trek,” Kishida told the state dinner that each country would “boldly go where no one has gone before.”
Mr. Kishida said, “I would like to toast to the voyage to the frontier of Japan-U.S. relations.”
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
