White House announces menu and programme for state dinner with Xi

Donald and Melania Trump will host Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan in the East Room of the White House on Thursday evening, 24 September 2026. The state dinner is scheduled for 20.10 local time and forms part of the Chinese state visit, which is planned for 23 to 25 September. [1] [2] [4]

According to the first lady’s office, Melania Trump has led the preparations. The office says the menu combines American ingredients with subtle Chinese influences. [1]

Menu and music

The announced three-course menu begins with a yellow squash velouté, with wild mushrooms, crispy pancetta and spring onion oil. This is followed by sesame-crusted sea bass with pak choi, aubergine and green herb sauce. The dessert consists of vanilla cream with sour cherry confit, walnut frangipane and honey ice cream. According to the White House, the honey was harvested there. [1]

Red linen, dahlias, ranunculus flowers and state china from the Reagan administration have been announced for the tables. The first lady’s office links the colour choice to the cultural significance of red in Chinese history. Tenor Christopher Macchio is listed as the headline performer, alongside military musicians from the US Marine Corps and Army. [1]

Uncertainty over historical wine reference

There is a discrepancy between the announced sparkling wine and historical accounts. The White House names Schramsberg Blanc de Noir and states that the same wine was served at the meeting between President Richard Nixon and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing in 1972. [1]

However, Schramsberg’s own timeline and a 1990 article in the Los Angeles Times name the wine served on that occasion as the 1969 Blanc de Blancs. It is unclear whether the White House means the same cuvée or only the same producer. Which bottle has actually been chosen for the 2026 dinner has not been established.