President Donald Trump introduced his newly renovated White House patio to Washington’s political elite on Friday evening, marking the official debut of what he has termed the “Rose Garden Club.”
The 79-year-old Republican leader hosted an exclusive dinner gathering on the freshly paved outdoor space, extending invitations solely to senators, members of Congress and individuals he described as “people that can bring peace and success to our country.”
The evening’s menu offered attendees multiple dining options, featuring Rose Garden salad, New York strip steak, thyme-roasted chicken, summer pasta primavera and a seven-layer fudge-filled cake for dessert.
The patio celebration followed a weather-related setback the previous day when Trump and first lady Melania Trump were forced to relocate a similar gathering for technology executives from the Rose Garden to the State Dining Room due to heavy rainfall.
Several prominent Republican figures expressed gratitude for their invitations to what they characterized as an exceptional evening.
Speaker Mike Johnson, Reps. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) and Ronny Jackson (R-TX) publicly thanked the president for hosting what they described as an “epic” night. However, the event sparked immediate backlash from Democratic leaders and liberal critics across social media platforms.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) launched a scathing attack on Trump and his Republican allies, criticizing them for “cheersing Diet Cokes” while the nation faces economic challenges.
“Our economy is in a downward spiral, but don’t worry — the @GOP are spending their time cheersing Diet Cokes at a new, exclusive ‘club,’” Newsom wrote in response to Johnson’s social media post about the gathering.
The Democratic governor, known for his vocal opposition to Trump, escalated his criticism by referring to the venue as the “grand opening of the Predator Patio,” alluding to ongoing controversy surrounding the apparent Jeffrey Epstein list.
Newsom further stated: “Welcome to Predator Patio! Admission? Just prove you’re on the Epstein List!”
The California leader also directed personal criticism at Johnson, writing: “After ripping health care from 17 million Americans and slashing food stamps for kids, we’re glad Mike ‘Marie Antoinette’ Johnson and his boy friends had time to toast the grand opening of Predator Patio.”
The Daily Mail reported that the renovated space features a more patio-style design, complete with yellow and white striped umbrellas imported from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.
Trump’s decision to pave over previously green space generated controversy, though the president defended the modification as necessary due to muddy conditions that damaged women’s footwear.
Additional critics voiced their displeasure on social media platforms.
One user posted: “The Rose Garden CLUB ???? WTF? Seriously???”
Another simply wrote “Disgusting,” while a third commented on the space’s appearance, stating: “Looks like a rundown mall food court.”
One critic connected the event to economic concerns, writing: “Remember when you are clipping coupons and stretching your budget at the grocery store, that Trump has your tax dollars paying for dinner parties on his rose garden patio.”
Despite the criticism, Trump supporters expressed satisfaction with the evening’s proceedings and the new venue.
“I had a wonderful time at the grand opening of the Rose Garden Club at the White House with @POTUS,” Van Duyne posted alongside images and video footage from the festivities.
The Texas congresswoman continued: “It was a beautiful evening, and a great reminder that we’re not tired of winning for the American people! I look forward to building on this momentum as we work to lower costs, increase take home pay, expand job growth, and further limit the federal government.”
Congressman John Rode (R-TN) echoed similar sentiments, praising the renovated space’s aesthetic appeal.
“The new Rose Garden Club is beautiful. Thanks to @POTUS for making quick work for a gorgeous addition to the @WhiteHouse. It was a great night,” Rode posted on social media.
The Friday evening gathering came after Thursday’s planned technology leader dinner was relocated indoors due to afternoon rainfall that saturated the White House grounds.
The Thursday event featured a large rectangular table configuration with Trump and first lady Melania Trump positioned alongside prominent technology executives including Bill Gates and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Trump addressed the technology leaders, stating: “I know all of them indirectly, and I know some of them very well, but I know everybody at the table indirectly through reading about you and studying.”
The technology gathering included Apple’s Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who attended with his girlfriend Gerelyn Gilbert-Soto.
Trump complimented Gilbert-Soto during the event, referring to her as Brin’s “really wonderful MAGA girlfriend.”
Brin was previously married to Nicole Shanahan, who served as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate during his 2024 independent presidential campaign.
The president invited the technology executives to speak before opening the session to questions from members of the press.
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