Donald Trump inauguration guest list: Global leaders, tech giants invited amid VIP passes running low

Donald Trump

US President-elect Donald Trump has deviated from established customs in US foreign policy by inviting global leaders to his inauguration ceremony, typically attended only by domestic figures. Among the notable invitees is Chinese President Xi Jinping, who will not attend in person but is likely to designate a senior envoy, possibly either Han Zheng or Foreign Minister Wang Yi; confirmation of this envoy is still pending, reported News18.

Representing India, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will be present. The inaugural committee, led by the Trump-Vance team, has extended invitations to leaders who align ideologically with Trump, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentinian President Javier Milei, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Additionally, former leaders such as ousted Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have also been invited and expressed interest in attending, along with far-right French politician Eric Zemmour.

In terms of financial backing, major tech firms are contributing significantly, with Meta, Amazon, and OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman each donating $1 million to support the inauguration scheduled for January 20. Reports from The New York Times indicate that the inaugural committee has already amassed over $170 million, with prospects of exceeding $200 million.

High-profile attendees from the tech sector include Altman, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. Various companies, including Uber, Elon Musk’s X, and The Free Press, are set to host an inauguration party in Washington. Other notable attendees include Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Musk, a prominent ally of Trump, who is expected to participate in multiple related events.

Regarding ticket availability, reports indicate a surge in demand has led to a depletion of VIP passes for major donors. The New York Times reported that invitations for high-value contributions have been rendered inactive, despite initial communications indicating that sales would remain open until Friday. Consequently, those wishing to attend will need to obtain general admission tickets through congressional offices. Originally, top-tier donors contributing $1 million or more had the promise of six premium tickets to various inaugural events, but the limited availability has necessitated adjustments in ticket distribution.