One of Donald Trump’s key allies in media, 21st Century Fox executive chairman Rupert Murdoch, will be in attendance for the first state dinner of his administration, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The dinner will be held on Tuesday night in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte. Murdoch’s wife, former supermodel Jerry Hall, will also be in attendance.
Murdoch is a longtime confidant of the president and is said to talk with him regularly.
Asked to confirm Murdoch’s attendance, Stephanie Grisham, first lady Melania Trump’s communications director, told THR that the guest list for the dinner will be announced when the dinner begins. It’s not clear whether other media dignitaries or television news personalities will be in attendance.
The New York Times first reported Murdoch’s planned attendance.
The White House is going all out for the dinner, with a theme — and menu, replete with wine pairings — centered on the long-standing friendship between the U.S. and France. The evening’s main course will be rack of spring lamb, burnt cipollini soubise and Carolina gold rice jambalaya, and one of the chardonnay wines served is “the product of American and French collaboration — a combination of French plants from Dijon that thrive in the volcanic Oregon soil and colder temperatures.”
