On Monday, President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration will bring together former presidents, politicians, tech giants, world leaders, and more in Washington, D.C. However, some key figures will not attend.
Usually, departing presidents attend the inauguration of the new president, but outgoing President Biden said he would attend Trump’s second inauguration, even though Trump didn’t attend Biden’s inauguration four years ago. The White House confirmed that First Lady Jill Biden will be there as well.
All three living former presidents—Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama—have confirmed their attendance, along with former First Ladies Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton.
However, some prominent Democrats, such as former First Lady Michelle Obama and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, announced they will not attend the event.
A spokesperson for the Obamas did not give more details to the AP about Michelle Obama’s absence, and she also did not attend former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral earlier this month.
Tech leaders like Elon Musk (Tesla and SpaceX CEO), Jeff Bezos (Amazon CEO), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook CEO), and Shou Chew (TikTok CEO) will be attending the event. They will sit at the front with other VIPs. A source told Fox News Digital that Chew was invited by the Inaugural Committee. The New York Times first reported that Chew would attend.
Trump invited several world leaders to his inauguration, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Karoline Leavitt, the incoming White House press secretary, said in December that Xi had received an invitation after Trump expressed his desire to have him attend. Leavitt emphasized that Trump was open to dialoguing with leaders of both allies and adversaries, always prioritizing America’s interests.
Although Xi will not attend, China’s Foreign Ministry announced that Vice President Han Zheng would visit Washington for the event. Other leaders invited include Javier Milei, President of Argentina, and Nayib Bukele, President of El Salvador. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban was also invited, but he reportedly will not attend. However, Milei and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are expected to attend.
The Associated Press reported that no foreign leaders have attended any U.S. inaugurations, according to historical records from the State Department.
Musical performances will be held at the inauguration, with Carrie Underwood, the Village People, and Lee Greenwood scheduled to perform. Underwood will sing “America the Beautiful” during the swearing-in ceremony for President Trump and President-elect JD Vance, as confirmed by a Trump Transition spokesperson to Fox News Digital.
Trump and former first lady Melania Trump did not attend Biden’s inauguration in 2021. Other presidents have also skipped their successors’ inaugurations. Six former presidents, dating back to John Adams, also missed the inaugurations of incoming presidents, according to the White House Historical Association.