As Donald Trump prepares to begin his second term as president of the United States, Washington, DC, will host a remarkable gathering of the world’s richest people.
The inauguration festivities are expected to bring together billionaires from all industries, with high-profile names such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg topping the list.
Billionaire lineup
According to Forbes, leading the pack of billionaires is Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and the richest person in the world, with a net worth of $433.9 billion.
Donald Trump’s inauguration
Musk, a staunch Trump supporter, spent more than $250 million to bolster the president’s campaign. Joining Musk on the inauguration stage will be Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, worth an estimated $239.4 billion, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, valued at $211.8 billion.
Bezos and Zuckerberg, despite their past clashes with Trump, have made significant efforts to strengthen ties. Bezos, who previously accused Trump of costing Amazon a multimillion-dollar Pentagon contract, praised Trump’s composure following an assassination attempt, stating that he “showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire.” Comparably, Zuckerberg, whose platforms once banned Trump, has since contributed $1 million to the inaugural fund and made strategic changes to Meta’s operations to align with the Trump administration.
Corporate giants
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, worth $1.1 billion, has confirmed his attendance, while Apple’s Tim Cook, who personally donated $1 million to the inauguration, plans to participate in related events. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong ($12.8 billion) received an invitation, although his attendance is not yet confirmed.
Other notable attendees include billionaire backers Miriam Adelson ($31.9 billion), Tilman Fertitta ($10.2 billion) and Todd Ricketts, co-hosting a pre-inaugural ball reception with Zuckerberg. Fertitta, who organized a fundraiser for Trump, has been nominated as US ambassador to Italy.
Record fund
Trump’s inaugural fund has broken records, raising more than $170 million, nearly three times the amount raised for President Joe Biden’s inauguration, according to Forbes. Donations came from large corporations such as Microsoft, Ford, Google and Ripple, and perks such as exclusive tickets to events, including a candlelight dinner with Trump and a gala ball, were offered to top contributors.
Corporate heavyweights such as Pfizer’s Albert Bourla and Walmart’s Doug McMillon are also expected, and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is reportedly planning to attend after Trump delayed a nationwide ban on the platform.
The opening weekend will feature big celebrations, such as the “Inaugural Crypto Ball” with Snoop Dogg and events from Uber and Coca-Cola.
