NEW YORK — During President Donald Trump’s inauguration, some of the most prestigious seats were notably occupied by leading tech executives, who rank among the wealthiest individuals globally.
This marks a departure from customary practices, particularly for a president who has portrayed himself as a defender of the working class. Typically, seats in such a prime location are designated for the president’s family, former presidents, and other distinguished guests.
Images released show these tech moguls socializing with various members of Trump’s Cabinet, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. designated for health secretary and Marco Rubio taking on the role of secretary of state.
In one snapshot, Rubio can be seen in the background gazing at the elite array of tech leaders. Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his spouse, Priscilla Chan, stood next to Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, alongside Google’s Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk—an individual closely aligned with Trump’s administration. Musk is not only recognized as the richest person globally but also oversees Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X.
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook and TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew were also present at the Capitol during the event.
Historically, billionaires have played significant roles in national politics, often financing campaigns, including that of Trump’s Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris. Recently, President Joe Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to George Soros, a prominent billionaire supporter of progressive movements.
The inauguration showcased the potentially influential involvement of the richest individuals in the new administration. Biden, in his farewell speech, cautioned that the nation is becoming an oligarchy dominated by tech billionaires with alarming amounts of influence and power.
In a statement made from the Oval Office, Trump dismissed Biden’s critique, asserting that tech leaders originally supported Democrats until they concluded that Biden was out of his depth.
“They turned their backs on him,” Trump remarked. “They were all with him, every last one, and now they are all backing me.”
Although Trump received substantial financial contributions from these tech executives and their companies for his inaugural committee—along with over $200 million in support from Musk during his presidential campaign—he asserted that he was not reliant on their funding and insisted they would not gain any favors in return.
“They’re not going to receive anything from me,” Trump stated. “I don’t need the money, but I genuinely wish for our nation to prosper, and these are intelligent individuals who create numerous job opportunities.”