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French State Dinners at the White House

From the first French State Dinner for Prime Minister Pierre Laval by President Herbert Hoover to more recent French State Dinners, the United States and France continue to maintain their strong bond.

October 22, 1931

State Dinner for Prime Minister Pierre Laval, hosted by President Herbert Hoover

August 22, 1945

State Dinner for Provisional President Charles de Gaulle, hosted by President Harry S. Truman

March 28, 1951

State Dinner for President Vincent Auriol, hosted by President Harry S. Truman at the Carlton Hotel due to White House renovations

April 22, 1960

State Dinner for President Charles de Gaulle, hosted by President Dwight D. Eisenhower

February 24, 1970

State Dinner for President Georges Pompidou, hosted by President Richard M. Nixon

May 17, 1976

State Dinner for President Valery Giscard d'Estaing, hosted by President Gerald R. Ford

September 15, 1977

Working Dinner for Prime Minister Raymond Barre, hosted by President Jimmy Carter

October 18, 1981

State Dinner for President François Mitterrand, hosted by President Ronald Reagan (held in Williamsburg, Virginia)

March 22, 1984

State Dinner for President Francois Mitterrand, hosted by President Ronald Reagan

March 31, 1987

State Dinner for Prime Minister Jacques Chirac, hosted by President Ronald Reagan

February 1, 1996

State Dinner for President Jacques Chirac, hosted by President William J. Clinton

November 6, 2007

State Dinner for President Nicolas Sarkozy, hosted by President George W. Bush

February 11, 2014

State Dinner for President François Hollande, hosted by President Barack Obama

April 24, 2018

State Dinner for President Emmanuel Macron, hosted by President Donald Trump

December 1, 2022

State Dinner for President Emmanuel Macron, hosted by President Joseph Biden

Media Contacts

For all media inquiries, contact press@whha.org.

About the White House Historical Association

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy envisioned a restored White House that conveyed a sense of history through its decorative and fine arts. She sought to inspire Americans, especially children, to explore and engage with American history and its presidents. In 1961, the nonprofit, nonpartisan White House Historical Association was established to support her vision to preserve and share the Executive Mansion’s legacy for generations to come. Supported entirely by private resources, the Association’s mission is to assist in the preservation of the state and public rooms, fund acquisitions for the White House permanent collection, and educate the public on the history of the White House. Since its founding, the Association has given more than $100 million to the White House in fulfillment of its mission.

To learn more about the White House Historical Association, please visit WhiteHouseHistory.org.

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