Trump’s inauguration: The US tech billionaires are in line

Billionaire guests who gathered at the Capitol today for the inauguration of Donald Trump (78): tech heavyweights such as Tesla boss Elon Musk (53), Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg (40), Amazon mastermind Jeff Bezos (61) and Google CEO Sundar Pichai (52). As various media outlets consistently report, the billionaires and their companies had previously made generous donations to the Trump-Vance inauguration fund.

Amazon founder Bezos appeared accompanied by his fiancée Lauren Sanchez (55), Facebook boss Zuckerberg appeared alongside his wife Priscilla Chan (39). Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple boss Tim Cook (64) also didn’t miss the ceremony. Google and Cook each donated about $1 million to Trump’s inauguration, according to multiple sources.

Tesla boss Musk already played a central role for Trump in the election campaign and during the presidential transition phase. In the new cabinet, he will take the helm in the planned Ministry for Government Efficiency. Zuckerberg last met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and then rolled out the fact-checking on the meta platforms. He also controversially changed the hate speech guidelines on his platforms.

Due to the freezing temperatures in Washington, the swearing-in ceremony will not take place on the steps as usual, but inside the Capitol. However, this does not change the historical significance of the change of power. At 11:47 a.m. – reflecting Trump’s position as the 47th President – he is scheduled to take the oath of office.

In addition to the outgoing President Joe Biden (82), former Presidents Barack Obama (63), George W. Bush (78) and Bill Clinton (78) were also expected. Former First Lady Michelle Obama (61) canceled her participation at short notice.