Trump’s inauguration billionaires, CEOs: Ambani, Zuckerberg, Bezos attend church, ceremony

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(L-R) Priscilla Chan, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Lauren Sanchez, businessman Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai, and businessman Elon Musk, Kash Patel (in back row), among other dignitaries, attend Donald Trump’s inauguration as the next President of the United States in the rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, USA, 20 January 2025. SHAWN THEW/Pool via REUTERS

(Reuters) – Tech billionaires, foreign diplomats and CEOs shadowed U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, with several attending St. John’s Church in Washington and seated prominently on the dais in the U.S. Capitol ahead of his speech.

The church service, typically a little-noticed part of Inauguration Day, quickly became a “who’s who” parade of some of the United States’ – and the world’s – wealthiest individuals, as attendees entered the downtown church near the White House. Tech executives’ embrace of Trump, including billionaires such as Elon Musk in Trump’s inner circle, has become a major theme of Trump’s transition into power, and sparked warnings from former President Joe Biden.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of some Inauguration Day attendees.

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TESLA CEO ELON MUSK

Musk, the world’s richest man and head of Tesla, SpaceX and X, spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help elect Trump in November, and Trump has tapped Musk to lead a department aimed at creating a more efficient U.S. government.

He arrived at the church service alone.

TIKTOK CEO SHOU ZI CHEW

One day before Trump’s inauguration, TikTok thanked him for what they said was his role in restoring service of the app to American users. As TikTok faced a Sunday ban in the U.S., Trump said he would revive the app’s access in the U.S. when he returned to power on Monday, adding that the U.S. will seek a joint venture to restore the short-video sharing app used by 170 million Americans.

META CEO MARK ZUCKERBERG

Since Trump was elected in November, Zuckerberg announced that his social-media company Meta Platforms scrapped its U.S. fact-checking program and reduced curbs on discussions around contentious topics such as immigration and gender identity, bowing to criticism from Trump’s conservative supporters. Zuckerberg has tried to mend fences with the new administration, while Trump in the past pledged to imprison the CEO.

Zuckerberg arrived at the church with his wife, Priscilla Chan, a pediatrician.

MIRIAM ADELSON

Casino billionaire and Republican mega-donor Adelson led the Preserve America super PAC, which boosted Trump. Born in Israel, Adelson and her husband Sheldon were crucial backers in Trump’s first presidential win.

INDIAN BILLIONAIRE MUKESH AMBANI

Ambani, the richest man in India, heads Reliance Industries, India’s most valuable company involved in businesses including energy and retail. Ambani also attended Trump’s pre-inauguration ceremony.

THE ARNAULT FAMILY

LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault attended with his wife Helene Mercier and two of his children, Delphine Arnault and Alexandre Arnault. All of Arnault’s five children hold prominent positions in his luxury-goods group, the world’s largest. Delphine Arnault heads the fashion label Dior, while Alexandre, who has played a key role rebranding its American jewelry label Tiffany & Co., is returning to France from the United States to help run the group’s wines & spirits division. The Arnault family is France’s wealthiest, with a holding in LVMH worth around $200 billion.

AMAZON CEO JEFF BEZOS

Bezos, who also runs the rocket company Blue Origin and the Washington Post newspaper, defended his paper’s decision to not endorse a U.S. presidential candidate ahead of this year’s election. The decision blocked an endorsement of Trump’s political opponent Kamala Harris.

Amazon will stream Trump’s inauguration on its Prime Video service. Bezos’s fiancee Lauren Sanchez arrived at the Capitol with him.

GOOGLE CEO SUNDAR PICHAI

Businessman Jeff Bezos (L) talks with Sundar Pichai (R) at Donald Trump’s inauguration as the next President of the United States in the rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, USA, 20 January 2025. SHAWN THEW/POOL/Pool via REUTERS

Alphabet’s Google, along with other companies such as Amazon and Meta, donated $1 million each to Trump’s inaugural fund. Trump will likely dial back some of the antitrust policies pursued under former President Joe Biden, potentially including a bid to break up Google over its dominance in online search, experts said.

FORMER UK PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON

Johnson, who was once dubbed “Britain Trump” by Trump himself, met with Trump in 2023 to discuss “the vital importance of Ukrainian victory” over its invasion by Russia. Johnson had been keen to forge a profile as one of Ukraine’s most ardent backers in its fight against Russia.

Addon from X

India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar can be seen in the front row at the Capitol Hill swearing-in ceremony for President Donald Trump Jan. 20, 2025.

India’s EAM S. Jaishankar seen in front row, at Capitol Hill Inauguration ceremony for President Trump. PHOTOS: X @drsjaishankar
India’s EAM S. Jaishankar watching and clapping his hands at the oath taking ceremony for Vice President J.D. Vance, standing next to his wife Usha Vance. PHOTO: X @drsjaishankar
India’s EAM S. Jaishankar conversing with Vivek Ramaswamy during the Inauguration of President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill, Jan. 20, 2025. PHOTO: X @drsjaishankar

Washington Post addon

The Washington Post provided images from the inauguration, some of them featuring Indian Americans. The following are select images –

Melania Trump and Usha Vance, right, arrive in Virginia for the wreath-laying ceremony on Sunday at Arlington National Cemetery. MUST CREDIT: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post
President-elect Donald Trump, Melania Trump and Barron Trump sit next to Vice President-elect JD Vance and Usha Vance at St. John’s Church. MUST CREDIT: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post

Addon from News India Times screenshot during live coverage of the inauguration

Vivek Ramaswamy at the Trump inauguration Jan. 20, talking to other attendees. PHOTO: Screenshot from c-span.org

Images from Reuters of White House tea between outgoing and incoming presidents, as well as during inauguration on Capitol Hill Jan. 20, 2025:

Kamala Harris, Dough Emhoff greet J.D. Vance and Usha Vance in front of the White House Jan. 20, 2025. PHOTO; Reuters
President Donald Trump (L) arrives in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol after being sworn in as the 47th president of the United State on Monday, January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. At right is first lady Melania Trump and in the center Vice-President JD Vance and his wife Usha. BONNIE CASH/Pool via REUTERS

Screenshot from YouTube

Usha Vance stands beside her husband Vice President J.D. Vance as he is sworn in Jan. 20, 2025. She held her daughter in h er arms, and the bible during the swearing-in. PHOTO: Screengrab from YouTube