It is probably his greatest triumph to date: Donald Trump, re-elected US President after an interruption by Joe Biden, is moving into the White House for the second time. Unlike 2017, the USA seems to be almost completely at his feet. In principle, he can rule for the coming years – and everyone is already dancing to his tune.
During the election campaign and after his re-election, the list of his prominent supporters and supporters grew steadily. Even major Democratic donors, such as Bill Gates, changed camp. It is therefore no surprise that many of the world’s most famous faces will be seen at the inauguration on January 20th.
Tech CEOs and billionaires in the front row
The New York Times assumes that Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos will get particularly good places. Musk is considered a close advisor to the president, and Zuckerberg and Bezos have also recently gotten closer to Trump. Apple boss Tim Cook is also said to have received an invitation, as did Shou Chew, head of the Tiktok app, which was briefly blocked and has now been reactivated under Trump’s grace period. A report from Time Magazine also adds OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to the list.
But it’s not just entrepreneurs who are likely to pay homage to Trump on one of his most important days. Numerous world politicians also make the trip to the USA – although foreign heads of state and government usually do not take part in the inauguration for security reasons.
According to the New York Times, China’s Vice President Han Zheng is coming, even though Trump invited Xi Jinping. Above all, Trump is likely to look forward to meeting colleagues and high-ranking guests who share his political direction. In addition to Argentina’s President Javier Milei, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Nigel Farage and AfD leader Tino Chrupalla are also expected. Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro also wanted to come. However, he cannot leave the country because he lacks a passport, which the Brazilian authorities have confiscated for investigations.
The “Tagesschau” also names the foreign policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Jürgen Hardt, and the German ambassador Andreas Michaelis as guests. There is said to have been no invitation to Olaf Scholz, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen apparently received nothing.
Trump’s predecessors are also expected. Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton will be among the guests. Trump’s former deputy Mike Pence is also scheduled to come. Time Magazine also reports that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will also be there. Trump gave Biden the cold shoulder at the time and did not come to his inauguration – contrary to custom.
Michelle Obama cancels Donald Trump
Celebrities can’t be missing from Trump’s side. Ex-boxer Mike Tyson, country singer Carrie Underwood and rapper Kodak Black are expected to appear, among others. According to TMZ, YouTubers Jake and Logan Paul, Kim Kardashian’s mother Caitlyn Jenner, entrepreneur Dana White and model Amber Rose are also likely to be among the guests.
Victor Willis, founding member of the Village People, is also expected. Their hit “YMCA” can be heard again and again at presidential events. The Village People are also scheduled to perform live.
But not everyone who could have come will show up. According to the New York Times, former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the event, and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi also canceled. For unknown reasons, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has also dropped the invitation, and America’s best-known talk show host, Dr. Phil doesn’t come.