Several high-profile tech executives are expected to attend US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, January 20 after Trump won the US Presidential election on November 5. Here are ten things you should know about Tech CEOs attending Trump’s inauguration:
-SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, one of the closest allies of Donald Trump, will attend Donald Trump’s inauguration next week.Musk has expressed excitement over his prominent spot at the event, stating on social media platform X that he felt “honoured” to be part of the proceedings. Musk has been an open supporter of Trump, contributing over a quarter-billion dollars to help with his campaign and aligning closely with the president-elect’s policies.
-According to a report by Bloomberg, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook-parent company Meta, intends to be present, as confirmed by a source familiar with the matter. Zuckerberg has reportedly met with Trump two times ahead of him assuming office as the President of the US. Zuckerberg had tensed ties with Trump last year. Prior to attending the ceremony, Zuckerberg will also cohost a reception with other billionaire Republican donors hours before Trump’s inauguration ceremony, reported Associated Press, citing sources.
-OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also plans to attend the swearing-in ceremony on January 20, according to a company spokesperson. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi will participate in some of the surrounding festivities, according to the company. Uber also plans to co-host an inauguration party in Washington with Elon Musk’s X social media firm and The Free Press, a media company, Bloomberg said.-Jeff Bezos is another big name in the world of tech who will be present for Trump’s inauguration. Bezos, the founder of Amazon and its executive chair, decided last fall that The Washington Post, which he owns, would not endorse in the presidential race, overruling opinion staff members who wanted to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris. Amazon also contributed $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund.ALSO READ: Musk, Tim Cook, Zuckerberg, Altman, Bezos and Pichai: Why tech leaders want to be Trump’s ‘friend’
-Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai is among the Big Tech leaders planning to attend U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. Apple CEO Tim Cook will also be attending the event, Bloomberg News reported earlier in the day.
-In addition to Altman, OpenAI president Greg Brockman and chief product officer Kevin Weil also plan to attend the inauguration, as told by a company spokesperson to the publication.
-The chief executive of TikTok Shou Zi Chew is reportedly planning to attend U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, reported NYT. Shou Zi Chew has been invited to sit in a position of honor on the dais, a location typically reserved for former presidents, family members and other important guests, according to the report.
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-The presence of these tech leaders signals an effort by the industry to build a rapport with Trump’s administration, despite previous tensions during his first term.
-Trump has raised $200 million for the inauguration, a record-breaking amount that reflects corporate interest in fostering ties with his administration.
-Meta and Amazon have pledged to donate $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund, meanwhile, Altman has personally donated $1 million to the fund.
