Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg to attend Donald Trump's swearing-in

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg are set to attend US president-elect Donald Trump's swearing-in on Monday, according to a Reuters’ report.

The billionaire trio is expected to sit together alongside Trump's Cabinet nominees, and other elected officials.

Bezos-led Amazon and Zuckerberg-led Meta each contributed $1 million to Trump’s inauguration. Elon Musk reportedly spent over $250 million to support Trump’s election in November.


Silicon Valley seeks closer ties

The participation of tech leaders at the inauguration reflects efforts by some Silicon Valley executives to establish closer ties with the new administration.

During Trump’s first term, the tech industry faced scrutiny and a lot of criticism from the administration. Their prominent presence at the swearing-in ceremony marks a shift in the relation between the president-elect and the tech sector, which has spent recent years addressing regulatory concerns in the US.

Musk’s active role in Trump’s campaign

Musk, who has referred to himself as Trump’s “first buddy,” actively participated in Trump’s campaign and transition. He has attended several meetings and calls with the president-elect, foreign leaders, elected officials and industry executives. Tesla CEO, along with Bezos and Zuckerberg, has also visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida.

Key changes at Meta

Facebook's Zuckerberg has implemented major changes at Meta before Trump’s return to the Oval Office. These include ending the company’s fact-checking programme in the US, discontinuing employee DEI initiatives, and revising content policies designed to address hateful speech targeting vulnerable groups.