Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston is celebrating his first steps into the White House, where he prayed for Donald Trump and took part in a Christian music performance.

The trip to Washington DC by the powerful pastor and Prime Minister’s “mentor” comes as Scott Morrison continues to dodge questions over whether he tried to get Mr Houston invited there previously for a state dinner.

Mr Houston uploaded a video to his Instagram on Saturday of himself standing out the front of the grand building, saying: “Well here I am at the White House. Never say never.”

He continued: “It’s a great honour, of course, to have had the chance to go into the cabinet room, even into the oval office and pray for the president of the United States of America.

“To me, it’s not about the politics, it’s about the position, and a significant man like the president of the US can use all the prayer we can possibly give him.”

In September, The Wall Street Journal claimed Mr Morrison had attempted to invite Mr Houston as a plus-one to a state dinner held for the Australian PM, but was knocked back by the Trump administration.

The pastor remains under police investigation over allegations he failed to report his father Frank’s sexual abuse of children.

He has denied he knows anything about the PM’s reported dinner request. 

American Bethel worship leader Sean Feucht, who was also at the White House, wrote on social media that the group of Christian leaders had been invited by the administration and had met and prayed for the President.

“We were invited by this administration to worship inside the White House today,” Mr Feucht wrote.

“Let this sound give you great hope for America!

“Just left the Oval Office in Washington DC after meeting and praying over Donald J. Trump,” he wrote on another post.

“Still can’t shake the moment.”

Mr Feucht also uploaded a video of the group singing and clapping along as they worshipped within the residence.

The pastor’s presence at the White House comes as Mr Morrison’s office refuses to release a list of guests he wanted to invite to a September dinner with Mr Trump.

Mr Morrison and Mr Houston share a strong bond, with the PM previously describing the pastor as a “mentor” and joining him on stage to pray together at the opening night of Hillsong’s annual conference in 2019.

Last week, AAP asked for the release of correspondence between Canberra and Washington over Mr Morrison’s potential guest list for the September dinner.

The PM’s office knocked back the request, saying it would damage relations between the two countries if it became public.

In a letter, senior adviser John Harris said it: “Would, or could reasonably be expected to, cause damage to … the international relations of the Commonwealth”.