The ceremony in the US Capitol underscored the president’s deepening ties to titans of industry and the shifting stances of those who previously scorned him.

Mr Trump is more transactional than presidents before him, which increases the risk of cronyism and self-dealing. But America’s economy, including its technology industry, is too unwieldy and dynamic to petrify into an actual oligarchy, whatever diplomats and departing presidents say. ■

LVMH chief Bernard Arnault and Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani—the world’s fifth- and eighteenth-wealthiest people—attended President Donald Trump’s inauguration events Monday, marking a pair of surprise billionaire appearances at the event attended by a cadre of moguls worth well over $1 trillion.

The LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton titan had prime seating near former Presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush and Barack Obama.

Luxury magnate Bernard Arnault has gotten almost $1 billion a day richer so far in 2025.Tefano Rellandini/Getty Images Bernard Arnault has gained more wealth in 2025 than anyone else, including ...

Explore how tech billionaires like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg shaped the narrative at Donald Trump’s second inauguration.

When Donald Trump was sworn in on Monday, he was flanked by billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg.Also on the dais was Apple CEO Tim Cook, Open AI's CEO Sam Altman, and Bernard Arnault owner of L-V-M-H which owns luxury brands like Dior and Louis Vuitton.

Rapper Jay-Z has been the world's richest musician for the past eight years, with a net worth of $2.5 billion, according to Forbes - twice as much as Taylor Swift.

From owning alcohol brands, to sports agencies to a stake in Uber, Jay Z has amassed a fortune worth $2.5 billion double that of his closest musical competition Taylor Swift.

There is room for about only 800 seats inside the Capitol Rotunda, so when Donald J. Trump’s inauguration was hastily moved indoors, that meant whoever made it inside was going to have to sit cheek-to-jowl.

A who’s who of the world’s wealthiest people surrounded President Donald Trump as he took the oath of office — gathering a combined net worth exceeding $US1.3 trillion ($2.1 trillion) for the occasion.