On Inauguration Day, US president-elect Donald Trump will be surrounded by well-wishers and supporters as he takes office. Here, The National takes a look at who has been invited to the inauguration – and who is boycotting it.
World leaders
World leaders typically do not attend US presidential inaugurations. According to State Department records cited by CBS News, no world leader has attend an inauguration since 1874. Instead, ambassadors and their spouses usually represent their governments at the event.
But in a rare move, Mr Trump has extended invitations to a number of world leaders. China's President Xi Jinping was reportedly invited to the event but has send he will send an envoy to represent him. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentina's President Javier Milei and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele are also reportedly on the invite list. It is not known if these or other foreign leaders will attend the event.
Former presidents
Former US presidents are usually in attendance to witness the transition of power. All living US presidents have said they will attend Mr Trump's inauguration. President Joe Biden has said he will attend the event, despite Mr Trump declining to attend his in 2020 amid unfounded claims of voter fraud.
Barack Obama has said he will attend, though his wife Michelle, a popular figure in the Democratic Party, will not. George W Bush and Bill Clinton will attend and will be accompanied by their wives, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton – who ran and lost against Mr Trump in 2016.
Celebrities
Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X who campaigned for Mr Trump in swing states across the country, will be in attendance, as will Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos of Amazon. The three men, who are among the wealthiest people in the world, have made major contributions to the inauguration event. They are expected to be seated on the main platform, alongside Mr Trump’s Cabinet nominees and elected officials.
Country singer Carrie Underwood, disco group The Village People and opera singer Christopher Macchio are expected to perform during the inauguration and side events, as well as country group Rascal Flatts and singer Billy Ray Cyrus, among others.
Trump inauguration 2025
When is Donald Trump's inauguration?
What happens at the swearing-in ceremony?
Who is boycotting the inauguration?
In the divisive world of American politics, members of both parties have in previous years boycotted inaugurations, and this year is no different. About a dozen congressional Democrats are planning to sit out the inauguration, according to Axios – but that is far less than the roughly 60 who declined to attend in 2017.
“It’s different now,” Representative Jared Huffman, who skipped the event in 2017, told Politico this month. “I’ve talked to colleagues who see it differently. I feel like whether we like it or not, this guy was just elected by the country with full disclosure of all of his ugliness.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Astroworld
Travis Scott
Grand Hustle/Epic/Cactus Jack
Company Profile
Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
TICKETS
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein
By Fiona Sampson
Profile
Forced%20Deportations
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Violence%20
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
'Manmarziyaan' (Colour Yellow Productions, Phantom Films)
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
