
Diplomats, politicians, donors and a cast of Broadway stars joined president-elect Donald Trump for a glamorous dinner in Washington DC, three days before he takes office.

Trump made the short flight to the nation's capital in his private jet to attend the Chairman's Global Dinner on Tuesday night, where he was joined by Kellyanne Conway and a host of big names.

The president-elect was seen stepping off his Trump jet at Reagan National Airport with Conway in tow at about 8pm. She was wearing a white gown and appeared to be carrying a fur coat.

Melania Trump did not appear to have made the trip with her husband.

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Donald Trump and Mike Pence are seen on stage together at the Chairman's Global Dinner in Washington DC - an extravagant pre-inauguration dinner for Trump's biggest donors and international diplomats

Members of the Broadway play Show Stoppers perform at the Chairman's Global Dinner on Tuesday night

Senior Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway (center) with Kelly Fertitta and Victoria Fertitta at the Tuesday night event in Washington DC

Woody Johnson (left) speaks with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (right) and wife Judith Nathan (center) at the Chairman's Global Dinner in Washington DC

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and wife Judith Nathan (left) and Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson and his wife Renda St. Clair pose for a photo at the Chairman's Global Dinner (right) at the event in Washington DC

Donald Trump has touched down for a quick stop in Washington DC just three days before he will be sworn in as president

The Donald was then on his way back to New York before 10:30pm, and would have lifted off earlier if not for a slight hitch on the tarmac. The Trump jet was delayed about 10 minutes because airport personnel unable to detach the stairs.

Eventually, airport staff and some Secret Service officers were seen by the press pool pushing the stairs away so Trump Force One could take off.

But despite the runway issue on his way home, Donald was in business in the capital, racing straight from the airport to the donor dinner when he arrived.

The black-tie, invitation-only affair was attended by about 500 people - with a mix of 150 diplomats and 300 or so of Trump's biggest donors and VIPs, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Some of the big names in attendance were: Daniel Snyder - owner of Washington's NFL team, actor Jon Voight, Jeff Sessions, casino magnate Steve Wynn, Michael Flynn, Rudy Giuliani, and Israel's ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer.

Trump addressed the crowd gathered at the opulent Andrew W. Mellon auditorium, and kicked off his remarks by thanking his running mate, Mike Pence.

Actor Jon Voight (left) and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (right) with wife Judith Nathan (center) pose with Marines at the event on Tuesday night

After landing, Trump rushed to an exclusive black-tie event with international diplomats and his biggest donors and VIPs

David Mohn (left) with Tom Barrack, chairman of the Presidential Inaugural Committee (center), and Stephanie Winston Wolkoff

New England Patriots' owner Robert Kraft (left), with Senior Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway (center) and Richard LeFrak (right) at the Chairman's Global Dinner

The cast of Show Stoppers perform at the gala event, three days before Trump becomes US president

Performers from Broadway's Show Stoppers took to the stage to entertain guests at the Chairman's Global Dinner in Washington DC

Jamie McCort (left) and Cio Soler (right) were among the guests at the Chairman's Global Dinner (pictured together, left), while, on the right, Kelly Fertitta (left) and Victoria Fertitta (right) also attended the event

Trump on Rex Tillerson tonight: “You know, he’s led this charmed life. He goes into a country, takes the oil, goes into another country...” pic.twitter.com/GegS2YDtKQ — Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) January 18, 2017

President-elect Donald Trump, left, stands with Vice President-elect Mike Pence during the presidential inaugural Chairman's Global Dinner

Trump addressed the black-tie, invitation-only affair, which was attended by about 500 people - with a mix of 150 diplomats and 300 of Trump's biggest donors and VIPs

Mike Pence shared this picture of himself and his wife, Karen, taking a moment out during the gala to have a dance

WHO ARE THE BIG NAMES AT THE GALA? Washington NFL owner Daniel Snyder Actor Jon Voight Casino magnate Steve Wynn Michael Flynn Rudy Giuliani Israel's ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer

New England Patriots' owner Robert Kraft Advertisement

'I had a couple of beauties I could have picked. But they were good too but maybe wouldn't have worked out like Mike,' Trump said, according to press pool reports.

'So I want to thank Mike and Karen and I want to thank all of the people in the room. We have so many friends, 147 diplomats and investors, never been done before.'

He then went on to heaped praise on the diplomats and his cabinet picks, singling out Rex Tillerson - Trump's pick for Secretary of State.

'But I want to thank you all for being here. We have great respect for your countries, we have great respect for our world,' he said.

'We have a man that I wanted right from the beginning, Rex Tillerson. Now these lights are bright but he's around here some place. Where's our Rex? Wow. What a job.

'I think it's tougher than he thought. He's led this charmed life. He goes into a country, takes the oil, goes into another country.

'It's tough dealing with these politicians, right? He's going to be so incredible. And I'm very proud, I'm very proud of everybody, the cabinet members.

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson and wife Candy Carson (left) attended the gala alongside Washington Redskins' owner Dan Synder and his wife Tanya Snyder (right)

President-elect Donald Trump speaks with Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson and his wife Renda St Clair

Donald Trump speaks to diplomats at the Presidential Inaugural Committee Chairman's Global Dinner in Washington

Trump on Pence tonight: “Oh, I had a couple of beauties I could have picked [for VP] ... but maybe wouldn’t have worked out like Mike.” pic.twitter.com/EuI1jtzKYe — Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) January 18, 2017

Former ExxonMobil executive Rex Tillerson, US President-elect Donald Trump's pick for US Secretary of State, attends the Chairman's Global Dinner a black-tie, invitation-only dinner

Jeff Sessions attends the Chairman's Global Dinner, at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington DC on Tuesday night

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is seen talking to a guest at the extravagant dinner in Washington DC ahead of Trump's inauguration

Guests are seen listening keenly as Donald Trump speaks to the crowd gathered at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium in DC on Tuesday night

Former Senator Roy Blunt (left), Woody Johnson, Wilbur Ross and Abigail Perlman Blunt (right)

Israel's Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer (L) and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani (R, obscured) are seen at the gala

Trump is pictured during his address to the donors and diplomats who turned out for the exclusive party in Washington DC

Former Senator Roy Blunt with wife Abigail Perlman Blunt (pictured together, left) and Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, and Tom Barrack, chairman of the Presidential Inaugural Committee at the Chairman's Global Dinner in Washington DC (right)

Tom Barrack, chairman of the Presidential Inaugural Committee, speaks at the Chairman's Global Dinner in Washington DC

Members of the Broadway play Show Stoppers perform at the event in Washington DC on Tuesday night

Woody Johnson (left) speaks with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (right) and wife Judith Nathan (center)

Kellyanne Conway, advisor to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, arrives with him aboard his plane at Reagan National Airport

Conway was wearing a white gown as she stepped off the plane and followed the president-elect to the black-tie event

The president-elect was seen stepping off his Trump jet (pictured) at Reagan National Airport in Alexandria, Virginia

Mike Pence holds a note card as he delivers remarks at the Chairman's Global Dinner on Tuesday night in Washington DC

'It's tough dealing with these politicians, right? He's going to be so incredible. And I'm very proud, I'm very proud of everybody, the cabinet members.

'We have put together a team, I think the likes of which has never been assembled. So, we'll have further reports in the years to come, but I think you'll see that.'

Trump then joked about how safe the room was, referencing the gang of bikers traveling to Washington to provide a 'wall of meat' around the inauguration.

'I saw the Bikers for Trump — boy they had a scene today. I don't know if I would want to ride one of those but they do like me,' he said.

'That's like additional security with those guys, and they're rough. And they get on that Harley, usually Harley, made right here in America.

'And they had a scene today where they had helicopters flying over a highway some place in this country. And they had thousands of those guys coming into town.'

Trump's return to New York after the dinner was delayed when airport staff had an issue with the stairs. Workers are pictured with Secret Service officers pushing the stairs away manually

Donald Trump delivers remarks at the Chairman's Global Dinner, at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington

Retired Gen. Michael Flynn, President-elect Donald Trump's incoming National Security Advisor, listens to Trump during the gala

Trump joked during the gala about how safe the room was, referencing the gang of bikers traveling to Washington to provide a 'wall of meat' around the inauguration

An invitation to the 58th Presidential inauguration for Donald Trump is pictured in Washington DC

Pence also shared a photograph of himself with Trump at the event - which was held just three days before the Donald is sworn in

Trump had tipped his hat to the group earlier in the day by saying people were coming to D.C. in 'record numbers' to watch him take the oath of office.

'People are pouring into Washington in record numbers. Bikers for Trump are on their way. It will be a great Thursday, Friday and Saturday!' Trump wrote.

Chris Cox, 48, is organizing what he hopes will be a sizable rally for America's pro-Trump bikers, and said he plans to protect Trump from protesters.

'In the event that we are needed, we will form a wall of meat,' he told Fox and Friends last weekend, in reference to a large protest planned against the president-elect on Saturday.

Pence shared this picture on social media, showing the crowd gathered in the room for the pre-inauguration celebration in DC

Chris Cox (pictured meeting Trump in May) will host a rally, including speakers and music, during the inauguration. The bikers will also help if protesters break police lines he said

Chris Cox (not pictured) is the organizer of Bikers for Trump; he says over 5,000 members will descend on DC Friday for the inauguration - and to potentially protect crowds

MELANIA 'TO WEAR RALPH LAUREN' ON DONALD'S BIG DAY Melania wore a $4,000 white pantsuit by Ralph Lauren on Election Night (pictured). It is not known what her husband will wear for his own inauguration Ralph Lauren is the latest front-runner in the race to design Melania Trump's inauguration outfit, Women's Wear Daily reported Tuesday. The American designer is believed to be creating a gown and an ensemble for the future first lady, according to the magazine. Melania previously wore a $4,000 white Ralph Lauren pantsuit on Election Night. Lauren also became Hillary Clinton's favored designer during her own presidential campaign. He designed the famed white pantsuit she donned at the Democratic National Convention, as well as several of her other outfits on the trail. Almost 37.8 million viewers watched Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009. Isabel Toledo, the designer of Michelle Obama's yellow dress and coat, became known worldwide overnight after 25 years of non-mainstream work. The future first lady could wear the Ralph Lauren outfit during the day and change into the gown for the evening's celebrations, which include a 1,500-people candlelight dinner at Union Station Thursday. Melania had purchased her Election Night jumpsuit at Ralph Lauren's Madison Avenue store. Lauren's staff is also believed to be designing pieces for other members of the Trump family, according to Women's Wear Daily. No further details were provided as to the president-elects inauguration outfit. A source at Brioni, his favored brand of Italian suits, told the magazine they hadn't made a custom outfit for the occasion. Advertisement

'We'll be shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and we'll be toe-to-toe with anyone who's going to break through police barriers.'

Earlier in the day, the menu for the ostentatious evening was revealed by TMZ.

Those in attendance had the choice of filet mignon or mustard glazed black cod, according to the website, with side dishes including carrot ribbon salad and champignon mushrooms.

There was also a choice between two red and two white wines, before wrapping up with baked Alaska cakes with fresh raspberries for dessert.

Donald Trump boards his plane at LaGuardia airport in New York before flying to Washington DC for a quick visit on Tuesday night