USA (Commonwealth Union)_ President Donald Trump hosted several high-profile technology CEOs for a private dinner at the White House, part of an overall effort to bring business leaders into a discussion on the future of AI and American innovation. Some of the most powerful global technology leaders attended, including Tim Cook (Apple), Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), and Bill Gates (Microsoft co-founder). In addition to Trump’s guest list, the evening showcased a significant representation of Indian-American CEOs, pointing at their growing role in Silicon Valley and beyond.
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Indian-American tech leaders at the dinner
Five Indian-origin executives were in attendance, each leading companies at the forefront of innovation:
- Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google, has played a key role in shaping the search engine giant’s direction, especially in artificial intelligence. He joined Google in 2004, the same day Gmail launched, and rose through the ranks to take over as CEO of Alphabet in 2019.
- Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s chairman and CEO, has supervised the company’s significant investment in cloud computing and artificial intelligence, which includes over $10 billion for OpenAI. Under his tenure, Microsoft purchased LinkedIn and the video game company Activision Blizzard, broadening its reach.
- Sanjay Mehrotra, the CEO of Micron Technology, co-founded SanDisk and has extensive experience in the semiconductor business. His current firm focuses on memory and data storage technologies, which are important for powering AI systems and future computers.
- Vivek Ranadivé, founder of TIBCO Software, now also serves as chairman and CEO of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. Known for his work in real-time data analytics, Ranadivé has also become a prominent figure in business, philanthropy, and sports.
- Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer at Palantir Technologies, has helped lead the company’s expansion in the AI and data analytics space. Under his leadership, Palantir’s influence has grown significantly, especially in government and defense sectors.
Tech titans join the conversation
Other high-profile attendees included OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman; Google co-founder Sergey Brin; Oracle’s Safra Catz; and Scale AI’s Alexandr Wang. Blue Origin CEO David Limp and Shift4 Payments CEO Jared Isaacman were also part of the evening. However, one major name missing was Elon Musk. Once an ally of Trump and previously appointed to a now-defunct government efficiency department, Musk has recently distanced himself from the former president and did not attend.
Focus on AI, jobs, and American industry
According to people familiar with the event, the dinner discussion centered on AI innovation, job creation, and how the tech industry can contribute to strengthening the US economy. Trump, seated between First Lady Melania Trump and Mark Zuckerberg, reportedly asked each executive to outline their companies’ investments in the US. The gathering followed the first official meeting of the new Artificial Intelligence Education Task Force, which is being spearheaded by Melania Trump. “The robots are here,” she said earlier that day. “Our future is no longer science fiction.” She stressed the importance of preparing young Americans for a workforce transformed by AI.
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A Rose Garden Club debut
The White House transformed its Rose Garden into an elegant outdoor venue, reminiscent of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, with white umbrellas and dining tables arranged for the evening. Officials informally referred to the gathering as the “Rose Garden Club,” calling it the first in a series of ongoing conversations with tech leaders. While the official agenda was not released, the dinner came amid growing discussions about regulating AI, increasing domestic tech investments, and strengthening ties with major players in the sector.
Indian-American presence signals global shift
The presence of so many Indian-American CEOs at the White House dinner underscores a larger trend: the Indian diaspora’s major role in defining not just US technology policy but also the trajectory of the global digital economy. Their leadership includes trillion-dollar companies, high-stakes mergers, and cutting-edge technologies. At a time when US-India relations are being tested geopolitically, including trade tensions and energy politics, the evening also discreetly underlined the two countries’ long-standing people-to-people links, which are based on talent, creativity, and shared desire.
