King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and Prime Minister Jetten Will Dine at the White House in April

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima will travel to the United States from April 13 to 15 for a working visit, during which they will dine and spend the night at the White House as guests of President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Rob Jetten will join them for the dinner in Washington.

Rentals in the Netherlands

Signaal tracks the Dutch rental market and notifies you the moment something matches your search. Be first to apply.

How the invitation came about

The visit to the White House is at Trump's personal invitation. During the NATO summit held in the Netherlands in June 2025, Trump stayed overnight at Palace Huis ten Bosch, the official residence of the Dutch royal family. He subsequently invited the royal couple for a return stay at the White House the next time they visited the United States. The working visit to America is therefore also taking in Washington to honour that invitation.

American ambassador to the Netherlands Joseph Popolo described the relationship between the two couples as a warm one that grew during Trump's stay in the Netherlands. "They built a good relationship. It is now our turn to do something in return," he said on the television programme WNL Op Zondag.

Where the visit will take the Dutch delegation

The royal couple will travel to Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, Miami in Florida and Washington DC over the three days. Foreign Affairs Minister Tom Berendsen will accompany them in Pennsylvania. Minister for Foreign Trade Sjoerd Sjoerdsma will join in Florida. Prime Minister Jetten will be present for the Washington leg, including the White House dinner.

Why Jetten's presence is notable

Jetten's inclusion at the dinner stands out given that in 2024 he publicly described Trump in critical terms including calling him a women hater. Despite this, ambassador Popolo said Jetten is very welcome. "The president looks forward. He wants to strengthen the relationship with the Netherlands and is primarily interested in what people do," Popolo said.

Former diplomat Ed Kronenburg told NPO Radio 1 it would have been inappropriate for Jetten not to attend. As prime minister, diplomatic responsibility for the visit rests with him, and declining the White House invitation would have sent an unwelcome signal.

What the visit is expected to achieve

Royal household expert Justine Marcella noted that Trump is fond of royalty, and that previous visits by the Dutch royal couple have contributed to strengthening trade relations. She said the royal family represents "the highest diplomatic tool we can deploy."

Anna van Zoest, director of the Atlantic Commission, said the visit comes at a moment when relations between Europe and the United States are under considerable strain, shaped in part by the war in Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. She described the visit as an opportunity to ease some of that tension. "The royal household is a very good instrument for doing something meaningful in a strained relationship," she said.

The Netherlands currently faces US import tariffs under Trump's trade policy, which have added economic pressure on top of the energy crisis caused by the Iran war. The working visit to the United States will also take in business meetings in Pennsylvania and Florida focused on trade and economic ties.

Dutch World Cup fans and travel concerns

Ambassador Popolo also used his television appearance to address concerns among Dutch football supporters about travelling to the United States for the World Cup this summer. The Netherlands will play its group stage matches in Dallas, Houston and Kansas City. There have been reports of Dutch fans worrying about being refused entry to the US over social media posts critical of Trump. Popolo sought to reassure supporters that the relationship between the two countries remains strong.