TRUMP HOSTED UNEXPECTED GUESTS: 5th richest man in the world attended the new president’s inauguration!

Bernard Arnault, head of LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Fendi, Tiffany, Bulgari, and others), and Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries—two billionaires ranked as the 5th and 18th richest people in the world—attended the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Their presence surprised many at an event attended by billionaires with a combined wealth exceeding $1 trillion.

Arnault, whose fortune is estimated at $179.6 billion, attended the inauguration with his wife and two children, representing the wealthiest family in France.

Ambani, the richest man in India with an estimated fortune of $98.1 billion, attended the ceremony after a worship service earlier in the day.

Ambani was also present at a pre-inauguration reception on Sunday evening, posing for photos with his wife Nita, chairwoman of Reliance Industries, and Trump.

Both Arnault and Ambani appeared to be seated farther from the president compared to other billionaires, who were positioned closer to the stage.

Who Else Was There?

Other billionaires in attendance included three of the richest people in the world: Tesla CEO and Trump supporter Elon Musk ($433.9 billion), Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg ($211 billion), and Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos ($239.4 billion). Also present were OpenAI CEO Sam Altman ($1.1 billion) and Apple CEO Tim Cook ($2.2 billion).

The event also saw the attendance of casino industry billionaire and Dallas Mavericks owner Miriam Adelson ($31.9 billion) and former Fox News president Rupert Murdoch ($22.2 billion). Trump’s friend and Las Vegas casino owner Phil Ruffin ($4.7 billion), Howard Lutnick ($1.5 billion), and Vivek Ramaswamy ($1 billion) also joined the ceremony.

The combined wealth of the billionaires present is estimated at $1.2 trillion.

Forbes estimates Trump’s net worth at $6.7 billion, with much of it attributed to his stake in Truth Social’s parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group.

Donations to the Inauguration Fund

Several billionaires who attended Trump’s inauguration contributed to the president’s inauguration fund, which set a record by raising $170 million. Donors included Zuckerberg, Bezos, and Altman. Contributors who donated $1 million or raised $2 million from others received six tickets to pre-inauguration events, including a black-tie ball.

Highs and Lows

Some billionaires have shown more public support for Trump than others. Musk has been one of Trump’s most vocal supporters, donating millions to pro-Trump super PACs and attending rallies before the election.

Bezos and Zuckerberg have previously clashed with Trump but have made efforts to mend their relationships.

Zuckerberg refrained from publicly supporting Trump last year but called him “fascinating” after the president survived an assassination attempt during the summer. Bezos similarly withheld public support but praised Trump’s “tremendous grace and courage under fire” following the attempt.