Donald Trump will become the first US president in nearly a century to end their first year without hosting a state dinner.
Running for office, the US leader criticised events like them, although they are viewed by many as as an important diplomatic tool. Often they include a showy arrival ceremony and an elaborate dinner at the White House.
Mr Trump disparaged former President Barack Obama for holding state dinners, and he was particularly critical when he Mr Obama held a state dinner during a 2015 visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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“I would not be throwing [Xi] a dinner,” Mr Trump said at the time. “I would get him a McDonald’s hamburger and say we’ve got to get down to work.”
But earlier this year, on a tour in Asia, Mr Trump boasted about the red carpets, military parades and fancy dinners that Asian leaders had provided for him.
“Magnificent,” he declared at one point on the trip to describe an event that had been hosted in his honour.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said there was no “singular reason” why Mr Trump is yet to extend a state visit invitation, adding that Mr Trump’s administration hopes to schedule a state visit early next year.
Ms Sanders did not say who was being considered for the diplomatic honour.
A state visit typically is offered as a sign of friendship and to showcase strategic ties between countries that are important to each other, said Anita McBride, a veteran of three Republican administrations who last served as chief of staff to first lady Laura Bush.
“The White House is the world stage to elevate that,” she said. “These occasions really go a long way to solidify and strengthen relationships.”
22 show all Donald Trump's international Presidential trips
1/22 French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images
2/22 French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump talk as they leave the Army Museum at Les Invalides in Paris AFP/Getty Images
3/22 German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump arrive for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily in May 2017 Getty Images
4/22 Mr Trump was pressed on the subject at the G7 summit in Italy Getty
5/22 US President Donald Trump gives a speeech at the Warsaw Uprising Monument on Krasinski Square Getty
6/22 US President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May during a ceremony at the NATO headquarters before the start of a summit in Brussels, Belgium Reuters
7/22 Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic is seen to the right of Donald Trump at a Nato summit in Brussels REUTERS
8/22 Pope Francis meeting with US President Donald J. Trump EPA
9/22 Pope Francis poses with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump AFP/Getty Images
10/22 US President Donald Trump arrives at Palazzo del Quirinale ahead of the meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella Ufficio Stampa Presidenza della via Getty
11/22 US President Donald Trump is seen during a joint press conference with the Palestinian leader at the presidential palace in the West Bank city of Bethlehem AFP/Getty Images
12/22 Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meets US President Donald Trump PPO via Getty
13/22 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Donald Trump prior to the President's departure GPO via Getty Images
14/22 US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after delivering a speech at the Israel Museum AFP/Getty Images
15/22 US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance as White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump watch on during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum AFP/Getty Images
16/22 US President Donald Trump visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu GPO via Getty Images
17/22 US President Donald Trump takes his seat before his speech to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia Reuters
18/22 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump look at a display of Saudi modern art at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images
19/22 US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images
20/22 King Salman presents Donald Trump with The Collar of Abdulaziz al-Saud Medal at the Royal Court Palace on 20 May AP
21/22 US President Donald Trump is welcomed by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images
22/22 U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn prior to their first foreign trip Getty Images
Mr Trump has often bragged about his strong relationships with many of his foreign counterparts.
He hosted Mr Xi at his Florida estate in April, treating the Chinese leader to a full dinner – not the aforementioned burger – and what Mr Trump described as “the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake”.
“President Xi was enjoying it,” the President said.
While Mr Trump has also met with many world leaders at the White House, sometimes over lunch, they do not compare to a state dinner.
Mr Trump’s visit to Beijing in November opened with a lavish arrival ceremony, with Mr Trump and his wife, Melania, being greeted at the airport by Chinese and American dignitaries standing at attention, with a band playing military music and scores of flag-waving children chanting “welcome”.
The US leader was then whisked away for a private tour of the Forbidden City, which included dinner. The meal was a first for a visiting foreign leader at Beijing’s historic imperial palace since the founding of modern China. Mr Trump also raved about an outdoor opera performance.
The following morning, a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People featured a military parade. Mr Trump said “the world was watching” and claimed to have received telephone calls about it from around the globe.
“Nothing you can see is so beautiful,” the President said at the time.
Mr Xi also honoured Mr Trump at a state banquet, playing video highlights from the Chinese leader’s visit to Florida, along with clips from Mr Trump’s trip and the screening of a video of the American President’s granddaughter, Arabella, singing in Chinese.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
WaffleBlues on December 26th, 2017 at 14:17 UTC »
I'd actually rather Trump avoid any diplomatic contact with other heads of states whenever possible.
Any time Trump chooses to isolate himself from the world it's a win-win for all of us IMO.
portajohnjackoff on December 26th, 2017 at 12:54 UTC »
They probably sent out feelers to heads of state and received lukewarm interest.
I'm just surprised he didn't claim that there was overwhelming, unprecedented interest but he was too busy to host.
TheKingOfCurtopia on December 26th, 2017 at 12:23 UTC »
Let's be real. No one wants to eat McDonald's at the White House :D