Trump Hosts Diwali Celebration at White House with Indian-American Leaders

President Donald Trump celebrated Diwali at the White House Oval Office on Friday with prominent Indian-American administration members, CEOs, and entrepreneurs, including Micron Technology's Sanjay Mehrotra and IBM's Arvind Krishna. India's Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra and celebrity chef Vikas Khanna were also present. The intimate gathering featured Trump lighting a diya, with attendees including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, FBI Director Kash Patel, and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya. Entrepreneur Vishal Gondal gifted Trump a Hanuman Chalisa and posted on X that his prayer was for friendship between India and the US. The White House Diwali tradition began under President George W. Bush in 2003, with ceremonies initially held in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. President Barack Obama became the first president to light a diya at the White House in 2009.