Donald Trump first became president in 2016 and later won his 2nd term in 2024. His inauguration on January 20th showed how far he’d come. When he first ran for President, he was pitted against Hillary Clinton, then Joe Biden during his second run, and then Kamala Harris for his third. After winning two out of three times, there has been a clear shift in power not just with Donald Trump’s Presidency but also with his connections and alliances.
Trump’s Inauguration
His inauguration occurred on January 20th, just one day ago today, along with the beginning of his second term as President. The date is due to the 1933 amendment which has inauguration ceremonies held every four years on either January 20th or January 21st if the 20th falls on a Sunday. As tradition goes for swearing the elected President into office, Donald Trump’s took place in the US Capitol building in Washington, DC. Following this, around noon, he repeated the Presidential oath of office, with another being repeated by the elected Vice-President.
The inauguration ceremony is planned by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC). These events always have a swearing-in, an inaugural address, and a pass-in review. In modern times, nearly every news outlet will play live footage of the event to make it available for the public who couldn’t attend in person. Not everyone can attend because while Inauguration tickets are free and available to the public through Congress members, there is a limited number. With this being said, while it is a public event, not just anyone can attend.
The Ones Who Attended
Famous people of all kinds were in attendance at the inauguration, from celebrities to well-known business owners or ones that are high up on the corporate ladder. Each one had their reasons for attending, either to make connections, fulfill curiosity, or to be respectful. The presence of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are two examples of the ones being there out of importance and respect. Others who made an appearance at the inauguration were either working or hired to perform. Carrie Underwood is one example of this as she was there to sing the song America the Beautiful.
Business Leaders & Influencers
The businesspeople or corporate leaders were a mix of CEOS, the major tech leaders, and influencers. Most of the influencers which consisted of many Podcasters interviewed President Trump during the election cycle:
- Mark Zuckerberg (Meta)
- Jeff Bezos (Amazon)
- Elon Musk (Tesla Motors)
- Sundar Pichal (Google)
- Tim Cook (Apple)
- Dana White (UFC)
- Shou Zi Chew (TikTok)
- Theo Von (Comedian and host of This Past Weekend Podcast)
- Joe Rogan (UFC Commentator and host of Experience Podcast)
Big Shots
Next were the attendees who aren’t categorized as business leaders or function as influencers exactly, but they have large followings and a major influence on the public. These people consist of athletes, actors, musicians, TV stars, and more. One of them was also nominated by President Trump for certain positions:
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services) And Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm Star)
- Wayne Gretzky (Former Canadian Ice Hockey Player) And Janet Jones (Actor)
- Jeffrey Ross (Comedian and celebrity roaster)
- Jon Voight (Actor)
- The Village People (Musical Group)
- Kid Rock (Musician)
- Lee Greenwood (Singer)
- Tucker Carlson (Fox News Host)
- Vince Vaughn (Actor)
Celebrity Performers
Finally, the celebrities who either have a long history of relevance or have been forever remembered or immortalized by their fans. They show up everywhere on the internet and are made up of influencers, athletes, and musicians:
- Snoop Dogg (Rapper)
- Nelly (Rapper)
- Billy Ray Cyrus (Singer)
- Jake Paul (YouTuber and Boxer)
- Logan Paul (YouTuber)
- Mike Tyson (Former Boxer)
- Evander Holyfield (Former Boxer)
Controversy Arises
Years ago, most celebrities avoided attending his first inauguration as any association with Donald Trump would have sparked rumors, controversy, and jokes. This year, however, so many celebrities and influencers were flocking over to his swearing-in ceremony, even the ones who openly dunked on Donald Trump before. Snoop Dogg is one example since he once made a mocking joke about him in one of his music videos in 2017. No one expected him to turn around eight years later and perform at his pre-inauguration event.
During his second inauguration, not only did he have stars attend, but Donald Trump even had Carrie Underwood perform before his swearing-in. The celebrities and public figures who went against him eight years ago, likely switched sides after witnessing the differences and results between Trump’s Presidential term and Biden’s Presidential term. It is still best not to overlook that the famous figures who attended are technically just a small portion of Hollywood figures. There are still a great number of actors, musicians, and more who continue to oppose him.
There have been supporters of Donald Trump eight years ago who attended his ceremony, such as Kid Rock, Sylvester Stallone, and Mike Tyson. He and other famous figures who openly supported Trump before, Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight, were even named as ambassadors of one of Trump’s new projects. As for the rest of the celebrities and Hollywood as a whole, a good portion of them have either been silent or still openly against him.
Here’s to 2025
There were so many more celebrities, famous people, and others with a major influence on the public, who attended the ceremony. The beginning of President Trump’s second term in office as the 47th President of the United States has essentially started with a bang from all of this. It’s unknown if this will be “the calm before the storm,” or if things will finally calm down. 2025 has only just begun.
