As lavish gatherings go, this one was exceptionally grand. Within the ancient walls of a nearly thousand-year-old castle, some of the wealthiest, most influential, and best-connected individuals in the world sat side-by-side at a long, ornate table. The guest of honor, in white tie, appeared more delighted than ever, receiving kingly treatment from an actual monarch.
The state dinner hosted by King Charles III for President Trump at Windsor Castle on Wednesday night marked what seemed like a new peak for Mr. Trump. It was a glittering display of the powerful vying to secure (or retain) the goodwill of a president whose second term has been characterized by displays of raw power, often manifesting as retribution against perceived domestic foes and strained international alliances.
King Charles remarked, “The bond between our two nations is indeed a remarkable one. In renewing our bond tonight, we do so with unshakable trust in our friendship and in our shared commitment to independence and liberty.”
President Trump seemed thoroughly pleased by the occasion, appearing unfazed even when the King subtly addressed environmental concerns and the ongoing need to support Ukraine in his speech.
Mr. Trump rose to speak, exclaiming, “It’s a singular privilege to be the first American president welcomed here.” (While these dinners usually take place at Buckingham Palace, which is currently being renovated, Mr. Trump had already attended one there during his first term. Other U.S. presidents have also visited Windsor Castle, though not for state dinners.)
Britain’s objective was clear: The royal family worked in concert with the British government, showering the president with attention and honors to ensure he would be more amenable in Thursday’s diplomatic discussions with the prime minister, strengthening ties with one of America’s oldest allies.
But what about the other guests? The banquet room hosted 160 people, with 1,452 pieces of cutlery clinking in the hands of media moguls, financiers, politicians, and tech titans. Members of Mr. Trump’s cabinet and senior White House aides were strategically placed among these power players.
The seating chart for Wednesday’s dinner should be preserved and studied for centuries as a compelling historical document of the West. This was no ordinary gathering of pop singers, movie stars, or fashion icons, whose company Mr. Trump has often favored. This was not about celebrity; it was about genuine power.
Britain’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, was seated next to New York financier and Blackstone CEO, Stephen Schwarzman. Bank of America’s CEO, Brian Moynihan, was also present. Silicon Valley’s AI prodigy, Sam Altman, found himself beside Kemi Badenoch, the leader of Britain’s Conservative Party. Demis Hassabis (who heads DeepMind, Google’s clandestine London AI laboratory), Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff were all in attendance. Apple CEO Tim Cook was there, too.
Mr. Cook’s presence, in particular, was noteworthy. Just weeks prior, he had appeared in the Oval Office, before rolling cameras, to present a beaming Mr. Trump with a handcrafted piece of Corning glass set in a 24-karat gold stand. This gesture was intended to highlight Apple’s investments in the U.S. and mend his relationship with Mr. Trump, who had been displeased by Cook’s absence from a gathering of tech leaders during the president’s Middle East visit the previous May. Mr. Trump had publicly criticized Cook’s non-attendance on two occasions during that trip.
And so, on Wednesday, Mr. Cook was seated next to Tiffany Trump in the banquet hall. Apart from First Lady Melania Trump, who sat between Queen Camilla and Prince William, Tiffany and her husband were the sole Trump family members present.
However, another dinner guest’s presence on Wednesday proved especially revealing. Across the table from Mr. Cook, a few seats to the right, sat media titan Rupert Murdoch. He and Mr. Trump share a long, complex, and often turbulent relationship. Currently, things are decidedly “off.” A few months prior, The Wall Street Journal—the jewel in Mr. Murdoch’s newspaper empire—published a story detailing Mr. Trump’s past association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This led the president to deny the allegations and sue the paper and its owner. Mr. Trump’s lawsuit became quite personal; he successfully demanded that the 94-year-old Mr. Murdoch provide health updates after the president sought to depose him within days.
Mr. Murdoch’s position in the banquet hall placed him far enough from the president’s direct line of sight, yet he remained, listening through a speech extolling Mr. Trump’s virtues. (Intriguingly, the newspaper baron was seated beside Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister’s chief of staff, who is currently facing considerable media scrutiny, particularly in—you guessed it—the Murdoch papers.)
Even on this night of ultimate deference, Mr. Trump’s desire for retribution remained unsated. After the dinner, he gleefully announced on social media that ABC had indefinitely pulled comedian and Trump critic Jimmy Kimmel’s show off the air. He also declared the “Antifa” movement to be “A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.” He made these pronouncements while preparing to spend the night within the castle walls.
Windsor Castle is frequently described as the oldest and largest inhabited castle globally, in continuous use since William I built it following the Norman Conquest in 1066. It boasts a moat, thick stone walls, and a labyrinth of rooms. The soaring banquet hall showcases the shields of the Knights of the Garter, dating back to 1348, with polished suits of armor observing the dining table from carved plinths.
Beyond those formidable castle gates, Mr. Trump must return to a world that doesn’t necessarily perceive him—or, at the very least, treat him—in the same reverent manner as the powerful men and women assembled at Windsor Castle. Just last week, when the president ventured out for his first dinner in Washington since his political resurgence, he was confronted by a group of protesters who, while supporting Gaza, equated him to Adolf Hitler. They were subsequently removed from the restaurant.
Moreover, in Britain, the night before the state dinner, protesters projected images of Mr. Trump socializing with Mr. Epstein onto the castle walls, a stark reminder of the political turmoil awaiting him back home.
After all, fortresses are designed to keep the world out. And no banquet lasts forever.