Golfing great Greg Norman was among the dignitaries attending the state dinner for Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the White House.

Key points: Scott Morrison is the second world leader afforded a state visit by Donald Trump, after French President Emmanuel Macron

Scott Morrison is the second world leader afforded a state visit by Donald Trump, after French President Emmanuel Macron Celebrity chef Curtis Stone, Kerry Stokes and 2018 Australian of the Year Michelle Simmons were also said to be attending

Celebrity chef Curtis Stone, Kerry Stokes and 2018 Australian of the Year Michelle Simmons were also said to be attending Members of Congress in attendance would not be drawn on the political topics of the day

US President Donald Trump hosted Mr Morrison for the formal dinner — an honour that has not been extended to an Australian leader since George W Bush hosted John Howard in 2006.

Mr Trump, an avid golfer who owns a number of courses around the world, was famously introduced to Mr Morrison's predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull, by Norman back in 2016.

Although Mr Turnbull's tenure ended last year, it appears Norman remains connected, entering the White House alongside wife Kirsten Kutner on Friday evening (local time).

Celebrity chef Curtis Stone and model Sarah Murdoch were also among the famous faces.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 52 seconds 52 s The leaders and their wives got changed into formal gear for the lavish dinner. (Photo: AP)

Some of the other Australian guests were businesspeople like Kerry Stokes, Gina Rinehart, Andrew Forrest, Anthony Pratt and Lachlan Murdoch, and 2018 Australian of the Year Michelle Simmons.

The President and First Lady Melania Trump greeted Mr Morrison and wife Jenny with handshakes and kisses on the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the mansion after a day of discussions and media appearances.

Dinner centrepieces featured Australia's national flower, the golden wattle, and more than 2,500 yellow California roses, while the garden itself was decorated with white and yellow roses. Musical groups from the US military were providing entertainment.

Mr Morrison thanked his US counterpart for the "tremendous honour".

He is the second world leader to receive the high diplomatic honour of a US state visit during Mr Trump's time in office, the first being French President Emmanuel Macron last year.

Avoiding Iran

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is Mr Trump's attorney. ( AP: Patrick Semansky )

At the dinner there was a who's who of US politics in attendance, including former New York City mayor and current Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, former secretary of state Henry Kissinger and a number of Republican members of Congress, who were "celebrating" in the White House Rose Garden even as serious matters of national security and politics loomed over their host.

During his speech at the dinner, Mr Morrison honoured the long-standing partnership between Australian and the US, particularly on the battlefield.

Scott Morrison is the first Australian prime minister to receive a state dinner since John Howard in 2006. ( AP: Alex Brandon )

"I noticed tonight the Marines on duty [at the White House], and I thank you for your service, but not just to the United States, to our alliance as well," he said.

"To 100 years of mateship and to 100 more. To the people of these United States, to the President and his magnificent First Lady. And may God bless America."

None of the arriving guests acknowledged the decision to send US forces to Saudi Arabia to protect it after an attack on oil installations, which the Trump administration blames on Iran.

Henry Kissinger was the secretary of state under Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. ( AP: Patrick Semansky )

That announcement from US Defense Secretary Mark Esper came between Mr Trump and Mr Morrison addressing the media in the East Room and changing into their tuxedos for the three-course dinner.

According to Mr Trump, he and Mr Morrison "didn't discuss too much Iran" in their conversations, although he said they would do so later.

Guests were sitting at a mix of round and rectangular tables draped in alternating yellow-and-green tablecloths in tribute to Australia's national colours and were dining on sunchoke ravioli, Dover sole and apple tart a la mode. Temporary flooring was laid over the grass in the Rose Garden.

Loading...

Dinner comes after day of trade talk

The dinner came at the end of a long day of discussions between Mr Trump and Mr Morrison, focused largely on China.

Speaking alongside Mr Morrison hours before their lavish dinner at the White House, Mr Trump was asked about his trade war with China, which is one of Australia's biggest economic partners, and promised that any trade deal the US reached with China would benefit Australia.

Mr Trump said he and Mr Morrison spoke mostly about China. ( AP: Evan Vucci )

As a new round of trade talks looms, Mr Trump moved to assure the public that Australia would not be a loser if and when a deal was reached.

"I look at the numbers. I love numbers, and the numbers of Australia are doing incredibly well," he said.

"Australia will be one of the big beneficiaries of a deal."

He added: "We could do a very big deal with China and it would go very quickly, but it wouldn't be the appropriate deal. We have to do it right."

The usual pleasantries were exchanged before heading in to the state dinner. ( AP: Alex Brandon )

For more than a year, the world's largest economies have been locked in a high-stakes duel, marked by the US President's escalating penalties on Chinese goods and Beijing's retaliatory tariffs.

Mr Trump said he did not feel the need to secure an agreement before next year's election, but conceded reaching an agreement "would probably be a positive" for his re-election campaign.

Mr Morrison, speaking to the Australian and American media alongside his US counterpart in the East Room of the White House, said he did not want to see negotiations rushed.

"We're keen to see the US and China be able to come to an agreement, but deals have got to be fair, deals have got to be good deals, deals have got to be sustainable deals," the Prime Minister said.

"Australia has benefited greatly from the economic growth of China, we have a comprehensive strategic partnership with China and a free trade agreement with China.

"They have grown and they have become a substantive economy in the world, and once you get into that level then you need to play to the same rules as those other developed nations.

"We look forward to [a deal being reached] and that providing broader certainty and stability to the global economy, which all nations will benefit from."

Earlier in the day, during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, Mr Trump hinted at the difference of opinion between the two nations when it comes to China, telling the media, "Scott has very strong opinions on China", as he invited Mr Morrison to speak on the subject.

The Prime Minister simply pointed out that "there can't be special rules" for any developed economies, and that they "need to make sure we all compete on the same playing field".

ABC/AP