NEW YORK — During the inauguration of President Donald Trump, some of the most coveted seats were allocated to influential tech leaders, many of whom rank among the richest individuals globally. This marked a notable departure from traditional norms, particularly for a president who has portrayed himself as a defender of the working class. Typically, the seats closest to the president are reserved for family members, former presidents, and esteemed guests.
Images captured during the event showed these tech executives interacting with several of Trump’s Cabinet selections, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed as health secretary and Marco Rubio named as secretary of state. In one photograph, Rubio can be seen observing the gathering of prominent tech figures. Leaders from companies like Meta, Amazon, Google, and Tesla were prominently featured, including Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, alongside Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, as well as Sundar Pichai from Google and Elon Musk, an advisor to Trump who is also recognized as the wealthiest individual in the world. Musk is known for his leadership roles at Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X.
Also in attendance were Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, and Shou Zi Chew, the head of TikTok. The significant presence of these affluent individuals emphasizes the remarkable influence that billionaires often wield in American politics, particularly in relation to major campaigns. Notably, numerous affluent donors supported the campaign of Trump’s Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. Recently, President Biden honored billionaire philanthropist George Soros with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, recognizing his contributions to various liberal causes.
The display at the inauguration underscores the direct involvement that some of the wealthiest figures in the world may have in shaping the forthcoming administration. In his farewell speech, Joe Biden cautioned about the risks of the United States trending towards an oligarchy characterized by the overwhelming influence of tech billionaires. Such concerns reflect ongoing debates about the balance of power and the role of wealth in governance.
