The 500 Guests at Ruto's Historic US State Dinner

US President Joe Biden toasts during the White House state dinner on May 23, 2024.
US President Joe Biden toasts during the White House state dinner on May 23, 2024.
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Amanda Blair

United States President Joe Biden commemorated the historic state visit by President William Ruto by hosting a momentous state dinner at the White House in Washington DC.

The event marked the culmination of Ruto's visit to the United States of America where the two signed key investment deals to deepen USA-Kenya ties.

Following the signing of the key deals, Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted President Ruto and his wife Rachel for a state dinner to which over 500 guests were invited.

The list included notable figures in society such as former presidents, actors, politicians, and media personalities among others.

Kenyan delegation who formed part of Ruto's entourage included Meg Whitman, ambassador to Kenya, Opiyo Wandayi (Senate Minority leader), Anne Waiguru (Council of Governor chairperson) and John Waiguru, Adan Mohamed, Noordin Haji (National Intelligence Service chief), Hussein Mohamed (State House Spokesperson). 

Ruto
Presidents William Ruto and Joe Biden sharing a moment at the White House Rose Garden, May 23.
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PSC

David Ndii (President Ruto's economic advisor), Cecily Mbarire (Embu Governor), Kimani Ichung'wah (National Assembly Majority leader), Korir Sing'oei (Foreign Affairs PS) as well as Ruto's children; Stephanie Ruto, June Ruto and Cullie Ruto were among the guests. 

Cabinet Secretaries who attended the event include Soipan Tuya (Environment), Njuguna Ndung'u (Treasury), Musalia Mudavadi,(Foreign Affairs), Rebecca Miano (Trade) and Aden Duale (Defence).  

Here is the complete list of the guests at the State Dinner:

President Biden and Jill Biden

William Ruto, president of Kenya, and Rachel Ruto

Alice P. Albright and Gregory B. Bowes

Elizabeth E. Alexander and David Wade

Franklin O. Amoo and Zainab Usman

Semhar Araia and Binaifer Nowrojee

The Rev. Shavon Arline-Bradley and Andrew Benjamin Bradley

Lloyd Austin, secretary of defense, and Charlene Austin

Andrew Awili

Audrey Azoulay and Eliot Minchenberg

Eric H. Baker and Nicole Cooper Baker

John R. Bass and Holly Holzer Bass

Rye Barcott and Tracy Barcott

Joy Basu

John B. Bellinger and Dawn Bellinger

Anthony Bernal

Hildy Kuryk Bernstein and Jarrod Bernstein

Stephen K. Benjamin and DeAndrea G. Benjamin

Hunter Biden and Melissa Cohen Biden

Naomi Biden Neal and Peter Neal

Finnegan Biden

Natalie Biden and Rafael Hajjar

Antony Blinken, secretary of state, and Evan Ryan

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Carolyn Booker

Us President Joe Biden shakes hands with Kenyan President William Ruto during a state visit to the US on May 23, 2024
Us President Joe Biden shakes hands with Kenyan President William Ruto during a state visit to the US on May 23, 2024
PCS

David Bonderman and Christa Campbell

Keisha Lance Bottoms and Langston W. Bottoms

Albert Bourla and Myriam Alchanati

Donna Brazile and Johnnie Carson

Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Sharene Brown

Frances Brown and Brendan Gough

John Hope Bryant and Chaitra Bryant

LeVar Burton and Stephanie Cozart Burton

Bill Burns, CIA director, and Elizabeth Burns

Ursula Burns and Paul Keary

Pete Buttigieg, Transportation secretary, and Chasten Buttigieg

Melanie Lanette Campbell and Sarah McKenzie

Kurt M. Campbell and Lael Brainard

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Myrna Cardin

Robert Clark and Jane Clark

Former US President Bill Clinton and his spouse Hillary at White House for a State Dinner in honour of President Ruto on May 23, 2024.
Former US President Bill Clinton and his spouse Hillary at White House for a State Dinner in honour of President Ruto on May 23, 2024.
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Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton

Kenneth Cooper and Gina Cooper

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and John Coons

Elizabeth Cousens and Bruce Jones

John A. Costa and Shawn Costa

Bishop Leah D. Daughtry and Lorenzo Daughtry Chambers

Andre Dickens, mayor of Atlanta, and Tracy Wilson Mourning

Jen O’Malley Dillon and Patrick Dillon

Michael Donilon and Patricia Donilon

Frances Draper and Andre Draper

Aden Duale

Jotaka Eaddy and Raheem DeVaughn

Enoh T. Ebong and Thamar Harrigan

John B. Emerson and Kimberly Marteau Emerson

Carlos E. Elizondo and Mark W. Dumas

Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Tex.) and Eloisa Pleters Escobar

Eric Fears and Kenyatta Stephens

Stefanie Feldman and Dale Alton

Jon Finer and T.J. Fadel

Tina Flournoy and Cornell Belcher

William Frist and Tracy Frist

Kamau Gachigi and Gathoni Kamau

Kate Gallego, mayor of Phoenix, and Mark Weinberg

Mark Gallogly and Lise Strickler

Former US Barack Obama attends the State Dinner in honour of President William Ruto on May 23, 2024.
Former US Barack Obama (left) attends the State Dinner in honour of President William Ruto on May 23, 2024.
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Chris Jackson

Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) and Patricia Garamendi

Merrick Garland, attorney general, and Lynn Rosenman Garland

Melinda French Gates and Rory Gates

Wawa Gatheru and Annie Gatheru

Helene Gayle and Stephen Keith

Joshua Geltzer and Katherine Boone

Suzy George and Nate Tibbits

Rufus Gifford and Stephen DeVincent

Ron Gillyard and Shelly Gillyard

Tony Githinji

Roger Goodell and Jane Goodell

Shuwanza Goff and Jamie Fleet

Patricia Gordon and Daniel McLoon

Philip Gordon and Noah Gordon

Chandler Goule and Derek Howard

Whitney Gravelle and Rachel Lyons

Deb Haaland, interior secretary, and Naomie Germain

William Haber and Heike Sommer Haber

Martha Haile and Johnathan Edmund

Avril Haines, director of national intelligence, and David Davighi

Noordin Haji

Nick Hanauer and Leslie Hanauer

Vice President Harris and Doug Emhoff

Patricia Harris and Mark Lebow

Maura Healey, Massachusetts governor, and Joanna Lydgate

Damon T. Hewitt and Melissa Hewitt

Lester Holt and Carol Hagen-Holt

Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) and Rene Spellman

Lisa P. Jackson and Alisha Johnson Wilder

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Kennisandra Jeffries

Brandon Johnson, mayor of Chicago, and Stacie Johnson

Cavalier Johnson, mayor of Milwaukee, and Dominique Johnson

Garnett L. Johnson, mayor of Augusta, Ga., and Toni Seals-Johnson

Monica Juma

Paula Kahumbu

Josephine F. Kalipeni and Winnie Nyawira Thuo

Adili Kea and Collin Hatcher

Gary Keefe and Allison Keefe

Everett B. Kelley and Liz Kelley

Allan Kilavuka

Jessica Killin and Raj Date

Christopher Kirigua

Boniface Kiome

Jennifer Klein and Jacob Stern

Bob Klein and Danielle Guttman Klein

Chris Kiptoo

Anthony Kimani Ichung’wah

Barbara Kingsolver and Steven Hopp

Caroline Kipsanai

Adil Khawaja

Christopher G. Korge and Wyn Graham Bradley

Elizabeth Koskei

Timothy Krop

Deniece Laurent-Mantey and Henry Laurent-Mantey

Benjamin LaBolt and Dean Lieberman

Jeff Lawson Erica Lawson

DeDe Lea and Dallas Lea

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Simone Lee

Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary

Reta Jo Lewis and Ulysses Curry

David Lane and Garrett Lam

Linda Lipsen and Stephen Stoltz

Daniel Lubetzky and Michelle Lubetzky

Claire Lucas and Judith Dlugacz

Vi Lyles, mayor of Charlotte, and Viola Alexander-Young

Michelle Lujan Grisham, governor of New Mexico, and Manuel Cordova

Sitoyo Lopokoiyit

Austin Lowes, chairman of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians

Sally Mahihu

Ken Martin and Rebecca Kanninen

Cecily Mbarire

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) and Catherine McCaul

John Bearden McAdory and Kendra Cross McAdory

Stewart McLaurin and Kimberly Osborne

Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie and Vashti Jasmine Saint Jean

Don McLean and Paris Dunn

Mark McManus and Nancy McManus

Doug McMillon and Shelley McMillon

Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.) and Simone-Marie Meeks

Ed Meier and Amy Ward-Meier

Janet T. Mills, governor of Maine, and Cameron Shay

Cheryl Mills and Bryant Welters

Rebecca Miano

Valerie Montgomery Rice and Melvin Rice

Ryan Montoya and Joelle Terry

Marc Morial and Michelle Miller

Jesse Moore

Musalia Mudavadi

Hussein Mohamed Gure

Adan Mohamed

Carol Moseley Braun and Souad Boudairi Dalil

Peter Muchiri

Librata Muhati

Philip Munger and Hala Matar

Philana Mugyenyi and Magdalene Kariuki

James Mwangi

Rosalyn Nandwa

Peter Mwendwa

Scott Nathan and Laura DeBonis

Rep. Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.)

Brian Nelson and Lane Dilg

Sheila Nix and James Coughlan

Joseph Nganga and Gladys Chi

Peter Ndegwa

David Ndii

Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.)

Janai Nelson and Tona Boyd

Anne Neuberger and Yehuda Neuberger

Njuguna Ndung’u

Brian A. Nichols and Geri Kam

Dave Noble and Jeff Marootian

John Nkengasong and Susan Nkengasong

Gladys Nyasuna

Isis Nyong’o Madison and Christopher Madison

Jehiel Oliver and Wintta Woldemariam

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli and Danai Gurira

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Tim Mynett

Kwame Onwuachi and Jewel Robinson

Peter R. Orszag and Bianna Golodryga

Louisa Ortega and Karyn Harrington

Lazar Palnick and Alpha Lillstrom

Jeffrey Peck and Lisa Vigdor-Peck

Sean Penn and Ann Lee

Tom Perez and Susana Perez

John Podesta and Karen Elizabeth Skelton

Michael Polsky and Emily Fleming

Ruth Porat and Anthony Paduano

Samantha Power and Cass Sunstein

Natalie Quillian and Ryan Quillian

Bryan Rafanelli and Mark Walsh

Gina Raimondo, commerce secretary, and Thomas Raimondo

Kelly L. Razzouk and Michel Diwan

Bruce Reed and Bonnie LePard

Wayne Reynolds and Catherine B. Reynolds

Katherine Rice and Jennifer Watt

Steve Ricchetti and Amy Ricchetti

Cedric L. Richmond and Raquel Richmond

David Risher and Jennifer Risher

British A. Robinson and Lisa Walker

Ethan Rosenzweig

Richard Ruffner and Sally Marx

Cullie Ruto

June Ruto

Stephanie Ruto

April Ryan and James William Ewing

Nancy Salamba

Sheryl Sandberg and Tom Bernthal

Symone Sanders-Townsend and Shawn J. Townsend

Augustine Sang

Mark Schuster and Audrey Schuster

Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall and Jeffrey Randall

John Scott and Gwen Scott

Adam Silver and Maggie Grise

Al Sicard and Kshamica Nimalasuriya Sicard

Rajiv Shah and Shivam Mallick Shah

Alfred Sharpton and Aisha McShaw

Mia Seder and Adam Kaufman

Korir SingOei

Gretchen Sisson and Andrew McCollum

Edward N. Siskel and Dana Remus

Harry Evans Sloan and Florence Sloan

Brad Smith and Carol Ann Browne

Gayle Smith and John James Spears

Jake Snow and Matthew Donoghue

Alex Soros and Huma Abedin

Steven Spinner and Robert Spinner

Liesbet Steer and Andrew Steer

Darnell Strom and Michaela Coel

Jake Sullivan, national security adviser, and Maggie Goodlander

Darlene Superville and Jordan Moreno

Julius Suubi

Mark Suzman and Katherine Switz

Katherine Tai and Robert Skidmore

Louisa Terrell and Alan Field

Christian L. Tom and Erika C. Tom

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.N. ambassador, and Lafayette Greenfield II

Sandra L. Thurman and Cornelius Baker

Philip Thigo and Kate Idwasi

Adrianne Todman, acting secretary of housing and urban development, and Maya Wesby

AnnMarie Tomasini and Renee Tomasini

Soipan Tuya

Masai Ujiri and Ramatu Ujiri

Wilmer Valderrama and Amanda Pacheco Rhinesmith

Richard Verma and Dylan Verma

Lorraine Voles and Dan Smith

Darren Walker and Holly Peterson

Caroline A. Wanga and Barkue Tubman

Anne Waiguru

John Waiguru

Catherine Wambui

Opiyo Wandayi

Sen. Raphael G. Warnock (D-Ga.) and Donna Byrd

Nicholas Weinstock and Amanda Weinstock

Michael Weinstein and Tom Myers

Kathleen Welch and Shelley Hearne

Meg Whitman, ambassador to Kenya, and Griffith Harsh

Maya Wiley and Carol Joyner

John Eddie Williams

Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Brad Paisley

Shawn Yancy and Jax Wiseman

Kevin Young and Cora Hixon-Day

Shalanda Young and Kendell LeBray

Kneeland Youngblood and Sharon Youngblood

Jeffrey Zients and Joshua Zients
 

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