As Donald Trump took the Oval Office for the second time, the spotlight remained on Elon Musk. His skyward salute during Donald Trump’s inauguration, which mainstream media interpreted as evoking the Nazi ‘Sieg Heil,’ sparked accusations of fascist overtones. However, his supporters hurried to his defense on social media, posting the full video. Elon was seen saying, "My heart goes out to you. It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured," before following his words up with the gesture in question—hand movement from his chest to skyward. However, Elon was not the only business tycoon who attended the event. The US tech multibillionaires, such as Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and other famous business leaders were granted prominent spots. Their attendances mark different political and corporate significance.
Would There Be a Change in Fortunes for Mark Zuckerberg?
Mark Zuckerberg was given a prime position at Donald Trump's inauguration. According to reports, Meta has contributed $1 million (£786,000) to President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural fund. If we look back to 2017, Trump called Facebook ‘anti-Trump’ and was a harsh critic of Mark and the social media company. Historically, Trump and Mark have had far less friendly relations.
They were especially offended when the former president's profiles were suspended by Facebook and Instagram in 2021 after the company claimed he had cheered those involved in the violence at the Capitol. Trump has uttered a verbal assault against Meta, referring to Facebook as an ‘enemy of the people’ in March.
According to Trump, Facebook would unjustly profit from a regulation that would outlaw TikTok in the US until it is acquired by its parent firm, ByteDance.
However, Mark recently had a change of heart. According to reports, in a recent meeting with Trump, Mark has held former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg accountable for Facebook's current diversity and ‘culture’ initiatives. The New York Times reports that he said these things when meeting with Stephen Miller, Donald Trump's top adviser.
Mark was informed during the conversation that he had the opportunity to rebuild America, but only under Trump's conditions. By separating himself from the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs that have proliferated at Meta and other American companies, the software millionaire seems to be taking this counsel seriously.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and His Space Exploration Plans
Jeff Bezos got a prominent spot at Donald Trump's inauguration. Even Jeff doesn’t have a very good go with Trump. He expressed his concerns loud in 2016 that Donald Trump, the underdog presidential contender at the time, may ‘erode’ American democracy.
Jeff claimed that Trump's campaign strategies endangered the nation's commitment to free speech and showed his incapacity to be closely examined, which he said was essential for candidates vying for the nation's top job.
He made these claims during a Vanity Fair conference in October that year. Jeff cited Trump's claims that he would ‘lock up’ Hillary Clinton if he won and that he might not concede if he lost.
Bezos was seen by some critics as a ‘woke’ capitalist for his promises to combat climate change.
While Trump seems to have forgiven Jeff for his jibe, Jeff has also altered his mind as Trump returns to the White House,
It could have significant repercussions for not only Amazon.com and The Washington Post, which Bezos purchased in 2013.
But also Jeff' rocket company Blue Origin, which has broad space exploration plans that would need close-knit engagements with the US government.
Hence, for Jeff, who was affected by Trump's contempt during his first administration, the relationship with the White House might be especially significant.
Mukesh Ambani: The Family Bond
Only 100 world leaders and celebrities were invited to the private event, including the Ambanis, who have close ties to the Trump family. The Ambanis' attendance emphasizes their longstanding relationship.
In 2017, while serving as Donald Trump's advisor, Ivanka Trump, Donald’s daughter, traveled to Hyderabad for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit.
Last year, Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, and their oldest daughter Arabella Rose, attended the pre-wedding festivities of Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Mukesh and Nita Ambani.
Elon Musk is a Part of the Government
The celebrity CEO of SpaceX has long been obsessed with getting people to the Mars. The recently sworn-in president fully endorsed that idea in the inaugural function.
President Donald Trump pledged to "pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts who plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars" in his inaugural address.
Musk, who was only a few steps away, punched his fists in the air and smiled broadly. The occasion exemplified the odd alliance formed between the next president and the rich biz-tech giant, who has huge contracts with the federal government.
The relationship's development was evident throughout the inaugural festivities. At a rally soon after the inauguration, Musk showered Trump with accolades, echoing Trump's promise of a coming ‘golden age’ for the country.
Sam Altman’s $1 Million Contribution
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also received great attention in Trump's inaugural function.
In response to two Democratic senators' investigation into his $1 million personal payment to President-elect Trump's inaugural fund, OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman says that he was not being held to the same standards as his previous donations to Democrats.
“Funny, they never sent me one of these for contributing to Democrats. It was a personal contribution as you state; I am confused about the questions given that my company did not make the decision,” says Sam.
Although the payment was made from Altman's finances rather than on behalf of the company, the senators mentioned OpenAI as one of the numerous tech firms that had given Trump a ‘million-dollar gift.’
This includes other significant tech firms like Google, Amazon, and Meta, each of which contributed $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund last month.
Trump announced 'Stargate', a $ 5 billion AI infrastructure project by Oracle, SoftBank, and OpenAI. Chief executives from OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank attended the unveiling ceremony at the White House, which was attended by representatives of investment firms.
"The Stargate project may also enable 'quickly' curing cancer. We will see diseases get cured at an unprecedented rate. We will be amazed at how quickly we’re curing this cancer and that one — and heart disease" says Sam.