Trump’s Inauguration: A Gathering of Billionaires and CEOs

On Inauguration Day, a significant number of tech billionaires, foreign diplomats, and CEOs were present to support US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday. Many of these prominent figures attended a church service at St John’s Church, which is located near the White House, and later sat prominently on the dais at the Capitol before Trump's inaugural speech.

This church service, usually a low-profile event on Inauguration Day, turned into a notable assembly of some of the wealthiest individuals from the United States and around the world. The appearance of tech executives, particularly those in close connection with Trump, has been a recurring topic during his transition into the presidency. This has raised concerns from former President Joe Biden about the influence of these tech leaders.

Influential Guests

Among the esteemed attendees were:

• Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, who is recognized as the world’s richest man. Musk has invested over a quarter of a billion dollars into Trump’s election efforts and has been assigned to lead a department focused on improving government efficiency. He was seen arriving at the church service alone.
• Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, was also present. Just a day before the inauguration, TikTok expressed gratitude to Trump for helping restore access to the app for American users, emphasizing its importance to 170 million users in the country.
• Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, attended the ceremony along with his wife, Priscilla Chan. Following Trump’s election, Zuckerberg announced a reduction in Meta’s content moderation related to contentious social issues as part of an effort to mend relationships with the new administration.
• Miriam Adelson, a casino billionaire and prominent Republican donor, participated in the ceremony and has been a key supporter of Trump since his first presidential campaign.
• Mukesh Ambani, the richest man in India and head of Reliance Industries, also attended Trump’s pre-inauguration ceremony.
• The family of Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, was there as well, including his wife Helene Mercier and two children, highlighting the family’s status as the wealthiest in France.
• Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, was present with his fiancée Lauren Sanchez. Bezos’s company also streamed the inauguration on its Prime Video service.
• Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, was another notable attendee. Google has made contributions to Trump’s inaugural fund and may see less stringent antitrust actions under the new administration.
• Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister of the UK, who has previously expressed admiration for Trump, also met with him to discuss international matters.

A Brief Conclusion

The convergence of these influential figures at Trump’s inauguration highlights the strong ties between politics and big business in the United States. As the new administration assumes power, the presence of such a powerful group signifies a unique blend of technology, finance, and international diplomacy.

Trump, Billionaires, Inauguration