Jill Biden reveals the country star who will entertain Kenya at her biggest state dinner yet… and the lavish lobster menu they’ll dine on… after Joe reneges on his promise to visit Africa

Jill Biden revealed that country star Brad Paisley will be the entertainment when she and President Joe Biden host their largest state dinner yet on Thursday evening.

The first couple will host Kenyan President William Ruto, his wife Rachel and 500 guests in a glass pavilion on the South Lawn, with the stars and the Washington Monument visible in the sky.

The Bidens are doing everything they can for the Kenyan president, after Biden failed to keep his promise to visit Sub-Saharan Africa last year. The African leader will lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery, hold an Oval Office meeting, participate in a joint press conference and convene a meeting with technology leaders.

But the highlight of the visit will be the state dinner. Guests are taken to the South Lawn as the sun sets. They will dine in a glass pavilion and enjoy beautiful views of the stars and the city’s famous monuments.

Jill Biden visited Kenya in February 2023. She said she hopes the dinner guests will be “filled with the same warmth I felt during my visits to Kenya – that of a friendship that will endure and help create a radiant and create a prosperous future.’

More than 1,000 candles line the walls of the pavilion. They will reflect the sequined tablecloths and the 15,000 pieces of reflective metal strips that will hang above the guests.

“It is designed to reflect the first lady’s love of candlelight and the way she wants to make guests feel at home,” said White House Social Secretary Carlos Elizondo.

American roses, together with fuchsia and purple African orchids, will form the showpieces.

Guests will dine on lobster, short ribs and chilled tomato soup.

Event planner Bryan Rafanelli, who planned Naomi Biden’s White House wedding and other state dinners for this administration, said he draws inspiration for the events from the first lady.

“I actually study Dr. Biden’s words all the time. So in a lot of different quotes that she has put out over time, she has always talked about candlelight,” he said.

He added that he hopes the candlelight and sparkling decor “brightens everyone’s day.”

After dinner, guests are entertained by Paisley and the Howard University Gospel Choir, which reflects Rutos’ love of country and gospel music.

About 1,000 candles will line the walls; American roses, together with fuchsia and purple African orchids, will form the showpieces

Jill Biden said she hopes dinner guests will be ‘filled with the same warmth I felt during my visits to Kenya’

Kenya is the first African country since 2008 to be honored by the US with a state visit – the biggest benefit the White House can offer a foreign leader. It is the sixth state dinner of the Biden administration.

The president is honoring Kenya with a three-day visit after promising to visit the continent in 2023 at the 2022 Africa Leaders Summit. He said he was ‘all in’ for Africa.

That visit did not take place in view of other events in the world – especially the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Wednesday that Biden still plans to visit Africa as president.

“I plan to run in February after I’m re-elected,” Biden told reporters Thursday afternoon.

Kenya’s visit comes as the East African country prepares to send troops to Haiti as part of UN-led efforts to calm the security crisis in the Caribbean country.

About 1,000 police officers from Kenya are expected to arrive on the island soon. The Bahamas, Barbados, Benin, Chad and Bangladesh also send police forces.

Moreover, the US is using Kenya as a bulwark against growing Russian and Chinese influence in Africa.

China is Kenya’s largest creditor. Debt relief is on the agenda when Biden and Ruta meet.

And Russia has sought to expand its economic and military influence across Africa.

Kenya is the economic powerhouse of East Africa. It is known as Silicon Savannah because the capital Nairobi is quickly becoming a technology hub. Google has a huge operations center in Nairobi.

President Joe Biden will welcome Kenyan President William Ruto to the White House on Wednesday

The table setting for the state dinner

Ruto’s visit begins on Wednesday when he and Biden meet technology leaders at the White House. Executives from Teneo, Alphabet and Semiconductor Technologies Limited are expected to attend.

Ahead of his visit to the White House, Ruto met with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson at the Capitol.

First Lady Jill Biden greeted the Rutos upon their arrival at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday afternoon to welcome them to the United States.

Ruto will also participate in an event at the US Chamber of Commerce with Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday.