President Trump hosted his first iftar dinner with several prominent Muslims Wednesday night, a year after he came under fire for failing to carry on the annual tradition at the White House.
Trump was joined by his son-in-law and presidential adviser Jared Kushner, Vice President Mike Pence, several Cabinet secretaries and diplomats from a handful of Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq. The iftar meal marks the end of Ramadan, a 26-day period of religious reflection when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.
The president broke the fast with his guests Wednesday night, after delivering brief remarks and reminding the crowd his first foreign trip after taking office was to Saudi Arabia.
“One of the great two days of my life,” Trump said, adding that he was “proud to make my first foreign trip to the heart of the Muslim world.”
“Let us strive to embody the grace and goodwill that mark the Ramadan season. Let us pray for peace and justice, and let us resolve that these values will guide us as we work to build a bright and prosperous future that does honor and glory to God,” Trump told attendees.
Several Muslim groups that have been critical of the administration scheduled counter-programming during the White House dinner. The Council of American-Islamic Relations, for example, hosted their own iftar meal in Lafayette Square across from the White House just after sunset Wednesday night.
