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