A group of tech billionaires and prominent leaders attended the inauguration of US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC. The event began with a service at St. John’s Church and was attended by celebrities including Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Apple’s Tim Cook, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Google’s Sundar Pichai. These technology leaders included media mogul Rupert Murdoch, FIFA president Gianni Infantino and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
What makes this gathering notable is the history of criticism many of the tech leaders had during President Trump’s first term, particularly on issues surrounding climate change and immigration.
Some executives from SpaceX and Tesla Inc. later joined Trump at the Capitol, including CEO Elon Musk. Musk reportedly donated nearly $300 million to the Trump campaign. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was also scheduled to attend amid a possible U.S. ban on the company. OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Uber’s Dara Khosrowshahi also attended. Altman, who has donated to both political parties, responded to accusations from Democratic senators that he aligned himself with Trump to avoid scrutiny. It’s strange that they never sent it to me.”
The gathering is significant because it marks the first public gathering of tech leaders in Washington since tense 2020 congressional hearings over corporate influence. Many of these companies remain under government scrutiny and face antitrust lawsuits and regulatory challenges. Their attendance at President Trump’s inauguration has fueled speculation about attempts to improve relations with the administration.
But not everyone around Trump is happy. Former chief strategist Steve Bannon has criticized Elon Musk, branding him a “true bad guy” and vowing to oust him by Inauguration Day. Mr. Bannon said Mr. Trump had “destroyed” the tech billionaires and argued that their attendance was a sign of capitulation.
Mr. Trump’s interactions with Big Tech leaders could lead to significant changes, or they could be temporary. Now, the president-elect appears to be enjoying the attention, posting on social media last month: “Everyone wants to be my friend!!!” It remains unclear whether these relationships will continue and how President Trump plans to address the tech industry’s regulatory challenges. What is clear is that both sides are carefully exploring this unexpected partnership.
