President Donald Trump welcomed Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House for a dinner on Tuesday. During the event, Trump praised world‑class soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, who was in the United States for the first time since the 2017 allegation that the Portuguese forward had been raped in a Las Vegas hotel.
Trump made the gesture his son Barron – the 19‑year‑old youngest Trump heir – loved. “Barron met him and it shows he respects me a bit more,” Trump said after introducing the football legend to the prince. Barron, a devoted football fan, has long called Ronaldo a “big fan” and was excited to see the star in person.
The dinner also marked the first visit of Prince Mohammed to the White House since the United States severed ties in 2018 following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. U.S. intelligence says the crown prince ordered the operation, a claim Saudi officials reject.
When reporters asked about the Khashoggi case, Trump defended the prince, insisting he “knew nothing” about the murder.
Ronaldo, who heads the Saudi club Al‑Nassr on a record contract announced in 2022, carried his iconic football fame into the U.S. ceremony. He has not played in America since 2014. In 2017, German magazine Der Spiegel reported that Ronaldo had paid a hush‑money settlement of $375,000 to a woman who accused him of rape. His legal team said the act was consensual, and no charges were filed.
The meeting at the White House drew attention because Ronaldo may soon return to U.S. soil. Team Portugal could play in the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico – a tournament that will see the football superstar on American turf again. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup, further tying the kingdom into global football and diplomatic conversations.
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