Trump Hosts Governors at White House for Dinner, Stunning Violin Performance

The president touted economic, border, and crime progress, as well as military strength, during the event.

Feb. 22, 2026 at 4:43am

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President Donald Trump hosted governors from around the country for dinner in the East Room on Saturday night, where he touted his administration's achievements over the past year, including progress on the economy, border security, and crime reduction. Cabinet members and other officials were also in attendance. The president invited the press to return later in the evening to watch a violin performance by Rusanda Panfili.

Why it matters

The dinner and performance represent an opportunity for the president to connect with state leaders and showcase his administration's policy successes, as he looks ahead to the 2024 election cycle.

The details

The event featured a number of Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin. The president greeted several governors, including Greg Abbott of Texas, Jeff Landry of Louisiana, and Sarah Huckabee Sanders. In his remarks, Trump touted achievements such as a secure border, low murder rates, and declining inflation.

  • The dinner took place on Saturday night, February 21, 2026.
  • The president invited the press to return later in the evening to watch a violin performance.

The players

Donald Trump

The 45th President of the United States, who hosted the dinner and performance at the White House.

Greg Abbott

The Republican Governor of Texas, who was in attendance at the dinner.

Jeff Landry

The Republican Governor of Louisiana, who was in attendance at the dinner.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders

The Republican Governor of Arkansas, who was in attendance at the dinner.

Pete Hegseth

The Secretary of War, who was invited by the president to say grace at the end of the dinner.

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What they’re saying

“Over the past year, we've already achieved a historic turnaround for our country with unprecedented speed. We solved intractable problems. We really have done something. It's been an incredible first year for all of us. We've transformed stagnation into growth, weakness into strength, and chaos into order, liberty, and justice… Today, our border is secure. Murders are at a 125-year low… Core inflation is the lowest in five years and going down. Prices are going down really rapidly. We inherited a mess, and we brought them down a lot, and we're going to go still further. And our military is more powerful than ever before.”

— Donald Trump, President of the United States

What’s next

The president is expected to continue highlighting his administration's achievements as he looks ahead to the 2024 election cycle.

The takeaway

The White House dinner and violin performance provided President Trump with an opportunity to connect with state leaders and showcase his administration's policy successes, as he seeks to build momentum for a potential 2024 presidential run.