Robert De Niro and girlfriend Tiffany Chen were among the A-listers who attended President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s state dinner for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
The Oscar winner, 80, and Chen, 45, were photographed walking hand-in-hand through the White House alongside Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos and former President Bill Clinton.
Robert, a typically understated star, dressed for the occasion in a black tuxedo with a white shirt, black tie and black patent leather shoes.
Chen looked elegant in a white strapless dress styled with an off-white ‘scarf’, black high heels and a clutch bag.
As he walked down the hall with Chen, Robert was asked how he felt about the 2024 election, to which he replied, “What do you think?”
Robert De Niro and girlfriend Tiffany Chen were among the A-listers who attended President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s state dinner for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House on Wednesday
He ignored the question of whether he would campaign for Biden.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife Yuko were greeted by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden upon their arrival at Wednesday’s dinner.
The Bidens transformed the White House into a spring garden for the event, complete with a koi pond and floating water lilies.
The inspiration for the evening was spring in both countries, noted White House Social Services Secretary Carlos Elizondo. Event designer Bryan Rafanelli, who also planned Naomi Biden’s White House wedding, came to help with the decor.
Legendary singer Paul Simon will perform for guests after their meal of house-cured salmon, rib eye steak and salted caramel pistachio cake with cherry ice cream.
Kishida is Biden’s fifth state guest, who has also hosted leaders of India, Australia, South Korea and France.
Biden will receive Kishida for the first state visit by a Japanese leader in nine years.
A state dinner is the highest honor the United States can give an ally.
The Oscar winner, 80, and Chen, 45, were photographed walking hand-in-hand through the White House, along with Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos and former President Bill Clinton
Robert, a typically understated star, dressed for the occasion in a black tuxedo with a white shirt, black tie and black patent leather shoes
Chen looked elegant in a white strapless dress styled with an off-white ‘scarf’, black high heels and a clutch bag
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is Biden’s fifth state guest, who has also hosted leaders of India, Australia, South Korea and France
Just four days ago, Robert and Chen — who were romantically linked for the first time in 2021 — celebrated their daughter Gia Virginia Chen De Niro’s first birthday on April 6.
The happy couple confirmed the news of their child’s arrival a month after her birth.
De Niro began dating Chen in August 2021, following his divorce from ex-wife Grace Hightower in November 2018.
In addition to Gia, De Niro is also father to six other children, including Drena De Niro, 56, and Raphael De Niro, 47, whom he shares with ex-wife Diahnne Abbott.
He also has twin sons Julian De Niro and Aaron De Niro, 28, from his long-term romance with ex-girlfriend Toukie Smith and Elliot De Niro, 25, and Helen Grace De Niro, 12, whom he shares with Hightower.
Robert gushed about Gia in an interview with PEOPLE in February.
‘He’s such a cute baby. So sweet,” the Raging Bull star told the outlet.
‘[When I] Look at her, everything else disappears. So it’s a great joy and relief to just be with her in the moment.”
Just four days ago, Robert and Chen celebrated their daughter Gia Virginia Chen De Niro’s first birthday on April 6
The happy couple has been dating since 2021; seen in March
Robert sees “a lot of similarity” between himself and baby Gia.
He said Gia’s siblings “get a big kick out of her” and that she also gets a lot of love from his brother Raphael’s three young children.
‘She’s their aunt… [and] they’re about to become teenagers!’ he noted.
Robert said that seeing all his children together “is everything to me” and that he cherishes “just being together, taking trips to warm places.”