17 Facts about State Visits by Foreign Rulers to the White House Most People Don’t Know

16. In an effort to preserve the auspicious value of a formal state visit, invitations are carefully distributed to prevent diplomatic incidents and maximize their effect

In order to preserve the significance of a state visit to the United States, great effort is taken to maintain their exclusivity and status. There is often only one or two state invites issued per year, with an informal rule also stipulating that no nation shall be hosted more than once every four years to prevent the appearance of favoritism; consequently, many close allies enjoy repeated official visits but only one state visit per administration. Every American President from Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929) hosted at least one state dinner at the White House each year, a tradition that ran until 2017 when Donald Trump abandoned this convention and invited nobody.

Due to the resultant importance attached to state visits, their invitation has proved a controversial honor and statement over the years. In 1995, the Clinton Administration considered inviting the President of the People’s Republic of China. Facing a backlash from Congress, the invitation was downgraded to the less formal official visit or an official working visit. China, outraged, declined this revised offer, insisting that President Jiang Zemin should be afforded the same respect as other heads of state. Eventually, in 1997 Zemin enjoyed a state visit to the United States, visiting Hawaii, Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, and Los Angeles, as well as attending a state dinner in his honor at the White House.

15. Declining an invitation for a state dinner to the White House is an immensely rare affront, breaching decades of carefully and precisely delineated protocol

Receiving an invitation to attend a state dinner in the United States is an extremely rare privilege, even for a head of state, and, consequently, declining said invitation is broadly perceived as an enormous repudiation of both the incumbent President and of the U.S. itself. Formal diplomatic protocol provides individuals invited to attend state dinners just four reasons to politely decline the solicitations of the American President: a death in the immediate family, a serious illness preventing attendance, a family wedding, or an “unavoidable” requirement for their absence from Washington D.C. Failure to provide a suitable excuse will be treated as a personal attack on the First Family or guest dignitary and future invites will be discontinued.

Due to the diplomatic repercussions of publicly rejecting an invitation, it is unknown exactly how many world leaders have declined an offer of a state visit. One known instance, occurring in 1986, involved King Hassan II of Morocco, who canceled a planned visit to Washington D.C. at the eleventh hour. Citing personal fatigue, the incident was widely interpreted as an expression of annoyance at America’s criticism of Moroccan relations with Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

14. The first state visit to the White House did not occur until 1874, almost 100 years into the United States’ existence

Despite the strategic and diplomatic importance of hosting foreign heads of state, it would not be until 1874, nearly a century after the founding of the United States of America, that one would visit the White House. In 1874, the newly elected King of Hawaii, Kalākaua, became the first when he visited Ulysses S. Grant at his official residence, enjoying the first state dinner ever hosted by an American President. Although another state dinner would not be held until 1931, when President Hoover hosted King Prajadhipok of Siam, the tradition of state visits had been started and the number swiftly increased.

Two years later, in 1876, Emperor Pedro II of Brazil became the first South American head of state to visit the United States. Although followed by President Justo Rufino Barrios of Guatemala, the first North American, in 1882, the geographical gap separating the American continent from the rest of the world would take decades to be broken down. It would not be until 1913 that a European head of state visited the United States: Prince Albert I of Monaco. After a pause to permit for the World War I and peacetime diplomacy to resume, the aforementioned visit of King Prajadhipok in 1931 saw the first Asian head of state visit, and, finally, in 1943, with President Edwin Barclay of Liberia, an African head of state completed the continental checklist.

13. Typically arriving at Joint Base Andrews, the head of state is met by an official delegation and a military honor guard consisting of exactly twenty-one soldiers

During modern state visits, the extravagant event begins with the arrival of the guest dignitary via aircraft at Joint Base Andrews: a military facility located in Maryland that serves as the home for the multiple aircraft known interchangeably as Air Force One. A red carpet is rolled out for the honored visitor and a military cordon, comprised of members from the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment, the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard, the U.S. Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard, and the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, forms on either side; this cordon includes precisely 21 individuals for heads of state.

Descending from the aircraft to the performance of “Arrival Fanfare Number One” by the U.S. Air Force Band, the visiting head of state is met by an American child offering a bouquet of flowers. The honored guest is subsequently greeted by a welcoming committee, led by the United States Chief of Protocol and including the American ambassador to the visiting nation, the ambassador from the visiting nation to the United States, the commanding general of Joint Base Andrews, in addition to two or three carefully selected persons representing the nature of the visit and the historic relationship between the two countries.

12. The “world’s most exclusive hotel”, Blair House serves as the Presidential Guest House and plays host to visiting heads of state during their respective visits

Following introductions at Joint Base Andrews, visiting heads of state are transported to the President’s Guest House, also known as Blair House. Located in Washington D.C, the present building, an amalgamation of Blair House, Lee House, Peter Parker House, and 704 Jackson Place, is actually larger than the White House. Constructed in 1824, Blair House was sold to the U.S. government in 1942 for use by visiting foreign dignitaries. A key motivation behind the purchase was the intrusive familiarity of Winston Churchill during his frequent stays at the White House; the British Prime Minister would, allegedly and to the dismay of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, wander into the private apartments and attempt to engage in conversation in the middle of the night.

During renovations of the White House under the Truman Administration, President Truman elected to reside at Blair House; it was in the course of this stay that Griselio Torresola and Oscar Collazo attempted to assassinate Truman in November 1950. Whilst a head of state is a guest at Blair House, their national flag or personal standard is flown atop the building as a reflection of their status. Should two foreign visitors of equal rank, for example two heads of state, be invited to Washington D.C. at the same time, neither is offered Blair House to avert any inference of personal favoritism.

11. The next day, the visiting head of state is greeted at the White House by the American President and an entourage in a formal display of pageantry

The following morning, allowing the traveled head of state an opportunity to recover from their journey and freshen up, their state visit begins in earnest with the Arrival Ceremony. Introduced to the pageantry of American traditions as recently as the 1940s, the President of the United States hosts an event on the South Lawn of the White House and greets his distinguished guests. Of note, for an official working visit, in contrast to a state visit, the guest dignitary is not received on the South Lawn but instead the arrival ceremony is held at the Pentagon’s parade ground; equally, instead of being greeted by the President, the Secretary of Defense serves as the presiding officer over the event.

After an exchange of formal greetings and pleasantries, the President introduces his guests to the remainder of the welcoming committee. Although varying in membership, the committee is obliged to include the Vice-President, the United States Cabinet, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but might also include senior members of Congress and other relevant figures from American political life. Following these introductions, the visiting nation’s anthem is performed by a military band, in the course of which a 21-gun-howitzer salute is fired by the Presidential Salute Battery, followed by the American national anthem in a show of deference and respect to their guests.

10. After meeting the gathered officials, it is customary for the visiting head of state to perform an inspection of an honor guard of military personnel from the host nation

As is traditional in state visits around the world, awaiting the honored dignitary is a ceremonial military guard of honor. In a reciprocal act of politeness, it is customary that the host and guest heads of state perform a brief inspection of the soldiers in attendance. Carried out to the performance of a military band, the two heads of state enact a short walk-by inspection of those assembled. Unlike a political gathering or informal occasion, conversation is not tolerated between either the heads of state or the politicians and military personnel; the inspection is a sacred formality, serving to display the authority of the president as commander-in-chief, not an opportunity to converse.

Following this brief close-up inspection, the heads of state climb a review stand to watch the fife and drum corps of the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment conduct a pass-in-review. The troops march past the raised dais, allowing for an overview of the military personnel present. This procession is performed to the tune of Yankee Doodle – an American marching song dating to the American Revolutionary War. An exception is made during visitations by the United Kingdom, for which, reflecting the “Special Relationship” between the countries, the tune used is The British Grenadiers: a marching song popular during the 17th and 18th centuries among English regiments, particular in the Americas.

9. Following the military inspection, both the American and guest head of state makes brief addresses to those assembled

Following the review of the assembled troops, the President of the United States delivers a brief address welcoming his guests to the White House. Contrasting with the preceding seriousness of the military inspection, in addition to imparting sincere expressions regarding the bilateral relations between their countries this occasion is generally seized as an opportunity to lighten the mood and defuse any nerves between himself and his guests. Light-hearted remarks concerning historic rivalries form the basis of these exchanges, with their extent a close measure of the personal friendliness of the respective heads of state.

Following this polite introduction, the visiting head of state is then granted the opportunity to make his own address in response. Akin to their American counterpart’s statements, the visiting dignitary is expected to thank their hosts, speak on the subject of the enduring friendship between their nations, and express their hopes for the visit. Typically, the speech offered by the guest head of state is considerably shorter than the American President and possessing fewer prepared jokes to avoid any potential diplomatic incident. After completion, a procession is formed which enters the White House via the Blue Room.

8. After signing into the White House, the visiting head of state is taken to the Red Room for the traditional exchanging of diplomatic gifts between the two leaders as a sign of respect and friendship

In the Blue Room, the traveling head of state is asked to register their visit in the White House guest book. Traditionally this is used to keep a record of the comings and goings of the incumbent administration and allow the visiting dignitary to leave a polite note to the First Family and staff. The president and his guest subsequently retire to the Red Room, wherein diplomatic gifts are exchanged. The process of exchanging gifts is a formality, with the objects determined in advance and already in place; rather than truly exchanging these tokens of affection, they are merely viewed by the heads of state and politely accepted.

These gifts often retain a symbolic meaning between the two leaders or nations, with the most iconic being the Resolute Desk. Residing to this day in the Oval Office, the fixture was craved from timbers from the British ship H.M.S. Resolute which had become trapped in ice during an Arctic exploration and was gifted to the United States by Queen Victoria in 1880. However, not all presents possess such meaning or history, but instead can include more bizarre items, including in 1990 a Komodo dragon named “Naga” from President Suharto of Indonesia to George H.W. Bush whilst Theodore Roosevelt was gifted a zebra and a lion by Ethiopia.

7. Concluding the formalities of the arrival ceremony, a three-course luncheon is held for the honored head of state

After exchanging of gifts, the arrival ceremony concludes with a luncheon. The location of this meal is determined by the wishes of the guest and the purpose behind their visit. If the visiting head of state is an active executive, seeking to conduct formal business during their trip, they will typically be hosted at the Benjamin Franklin State Dining Room. Located in the Harry S. Truman Building, the headquarters of the Department of State, prior to their departure a mock photo portrait is made at the White House as a courtesy. If not, and the individual is a non-executive head of state, for example Elizabeth II, they are hosted at the White House.

A luncheon at the White House is intimately hosted by the President and First Lady, whereas one at the Department of State is a much larger event co-hosted by the Vice-President and Secretary of State; in fact, the President does not even attend luncheons at Foggy Bottom. Consisting traditionally of three courses, before which the hosts and visiting dignitary make prepared speeches, the number in attendance can exceed 200, including senior members of Congress, the cabinet, and former diplomats. Despite being a luncheon, it is not uncommon for senior attendees, including the honored guest, to depart prior to the food being served.

6. On the evening of the second day, a state dinner is held at the White House with the visiting head of state as the guest of honor

In the evening of the same day, a formal state dinner is held at the White House in honor of the distinguished guest. As noted previously, the dress code for state dinners has traditionally been white tie, but recent years has seen a relaxing of these rigid rules. Visiting heads of state are permitted to wear national dress instead of Western evening dress, whilst leaders of socialist countries, notably Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev and Chinese President Hu Jintao, symbolically refused to wear formal evening dress. Involving approximately 120-150 individuals, with many of the seats predetermined by status, only a handful of invitations are sent out to non-official persons.

The dinner is traditionally held in the State Dining Room, with the adjoining Red Room available in the event of overflow and a requirement for additional seating capacity. If the weather is permitting, then state dinners are also sometimes held outdoors in the White House gardens. This unusual locale was used during state dinners in honor of West German Chancellor Ludwig Erhard in 1964 and Elizabeth II in 1976. Guests are seated at ten-person round-tables, the traditional number for a formal dinner. The use of round tables, as opposed to banquet tables, was initiated by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who wished for all of her guests to be able to converse with one another more easily.

5. As part of a carefully selected menu and dinner ceremony, since the Kennedy Administration non-American wines are not permitted to be served at the White House

Menus for state dinners, consisting of four courses and served on custom-made White House china, are painstakingly written by hand by the White House Graphics and Calligraphy Office. Pursuant to a policy implemented during the Kennedy Administration, only American wines are permitted to be served at the White House; consequently, guests are treated to sparkling wines rather than the customary champagne. This tradition has been maintained to this day, with First Lady Melania Trump selecting a Crémant from California as her choice of wine during the most recent state dinner in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron.

Atypically for American society, state dinners at the White House have continued to employ the use of finger bowls between the third and final courses. This custom has been reputedly extremely confusing for some American guests in attendance, with staff placed on alert to assist anyone unsure. In fact, at a state dinner during the Roosevelt Administration a guest mistakenly believed the water to was to be drunk. Sparing her poor guest from ridicule, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt followed suit and drank from hers also. Furthermore, tables at state dinners at the White House have traditionally been segregated by gender. However, during the Carter Administration this policy was temporarily discontinued, allowing for married couples to be seated together if they so wished.

4. The President performs an important role as the host of the dinner, greeting all of his guests to the historic building and ensuring nobody is overlooked

Before the formal start of the dinner, an intimate reception is held in the Yellow Oval Room for those that will be seated at the head table. Following this, the president and the visiting head of state descend the Grand Staircase, accompanied by a rendition of “Hail America” as part of the Presidential Entrance March. Arriving guests are proclaimed individually by an announcer, whereupon they are directed to the Blue Room to be greeted personally by the two heads of state. Brief pleasantries are exchanged, before the guests are ushered into the State Dining Room to be seated.

In 2009, during a state dinner for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, three gatecrashers managed to gain access to the White House. All three, despite not being appearing on the guest list, were allowed to enter and were introduced to Obama and Singh. Enjoying a full evening of entertainment, their appearance was only noticed by Secret Service after they bragged about it on social media. Once all the guests are seated, both the American president and his guest of honor deliver reciprocal toasts to both each other and their nations. The press is then removed from the room and dinner is served privately.

3. Guests then retire to the East Room for a musical performance by an American artist, before commonly dancing to live jazz in the Entrance Hall

After the final course has been consumed, the President of the United States, along with his guest of honor, lead a recession through the Cross Hall. Passing between a cordon formed by members of one of the military orchestras, the guests are serenaded as they enter the East Room of the White House. Here, a performance by a leading American musical celebrity, lasting for between twenty to thirty minute, is held. In recent decades, popular choices have ranged from Frank Sinatra, to Jennifer Hudson, to the Washington National Opera due to a political boycott by musicians.

Following this light entertainment, guests are invited to the Entrance Hall to be served sparkling wine. The United States Marine Band’s jazz ensemble provides live music and social dancing takes place. This section of the state dinner program is the only negotiable component, being frequently omitted should the visitor feel uncomfortable or unable to partake in a dignified manner. For example, during a state visit by the head of state for the Holy See, the Pope, dancing would be regarded as inappropriate and excluded from the itinerary.

2. For the rest of their time in Washington D.C., visiting heads of state routinely engage in tours of monuments, historic sites, and tourist attractions

For the remainder of their stay in Washington D.C., visiting heads of state usually engage in public social appearances at historic and tourist attractions of special relevance. A common locale for a head of state to visit is the Virginia estate of George Washington: Mount Vernon. Not only a suitable engagement, but the event also allows for the visiting dignitary to escape the city into the countryside whilst simultaneously paying their respects at the sarcophagus of George Washington.

Idyllically located on the banks of the Potomac River, the only state dinner in American history to not take place at the White House was hosted at Mount Vernon. During the state visit of Ayub Khan, President of Pakistan, in July 1961, President Kennedy elected to host his guest at the historic home of his first predecessor. Other locations commonly visited by foreign heads of state include Arlington National Cemetery, where General de Gaulle notably paid obeisance at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in 1944, and Monticello, the home of President Thomas Jefferson, first visited by Indonesian Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir in 1947.

1. Following their stays in Washington D.C., visiting heads of state commonly tour the wider United States for a period of between five to ten days

Due in no small part to the geographical distance separating the United States from the rest of the world, as well as the size of the nation itself, world leaders embarking on state visits to the U.S. commonly enjoy a prolonged stay. Traveling beyond just the nation’s capital, Washington D.C., foreign heads of state commonly seek to tour other cities as part of their visit. For example, Chinese President Jiang Zemin opened his state visit in 1997 by touring colonial Williamsburg followed by Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

It is expected that the offer of a state visit to the United States is duly reciprocated. After visiting in 1997, Zemin hosted President Clinton in 1998, where the American leader accompanied his host to the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor to view the Terracotta Army. In recent years, as hostility has increasingly grown towards the United States throughout the world it has become difficult to always accommodate this tradition, with President Trump’s planned state visit to the United Kingdom cancelled in anticipation of mass protests.

Where do we find this stuff? Here are our sources:

“Satow’s Diplomatic Practice”, Ivor Roberts, Oxford University Press (2011)

“World: How The U.S. Ranks the Visits of Foreign Heads of State”, Julie Moffett, Radio Free Europe (August 9, 1997)

“White House Dinner, But What Kind?”, Marian Burros, The New York Times (November 24, 1993)

“King Kalakaua Goes to Washington, 1874”, Ishaan Tharoor, Time Magazine (January 10, 2011)

“The White House’s Dinner Theater”, Bob Colacello, Vanity Fair (May 11, 2010)

“Notable State Dinners at the White House”, White House Historical Association.

“Visits to the U.S. by Foreign Heads of State and Government: 1874-1939”, United States State Department”.

“When Leaders From Abroad Come to Call”, Barbara Gamareikan, The New York Times (July 20, 1986)

“Brazil’s Rousseff cancels state visit to U.S. over spying report”, Reuters (September 17, 2013)

“United States Protocol”, Mary Mel French, Rowman and Littlefield (2010)

“Yankee Doodle is Dandied!”, Lesa Jansen, CNN (March 12, 2012)

“Lincoln Didn’t Sleep Here But Clinton Friends Do”, Angie Cannon, Chicago Tribune (March 4, 1994)

“What’s it like to attend an official state luncheon for a visiting head of state”, Daniel Drezner, The Washington Post (September 28, 2015)

“A Brief History of White House State Dinners”, Time Magazine

“The White House: Actors and Observers”, William Seale, White House Historical Association (2002)

“White House: Serving Up Food and Emily Post”, Marian Burros, The New York Times (March 31, 1986)

“When Washington Was Fun”, Maureen Orth, Vanity Fair (December 2007)

“The Dinner Table can be a Wonderland”, Linda Brandt, Herald-Tribune (June 23, 2010)