- Decisions, decisions.
- Billionaires and CEOs must choose between Donald Trump’s inauguration or the first day of Davos.
- Attending Trump’s inauguration could mean spending face-to-face time with the new president.
It’s a scheduling conflict most of us will never experience.
Some of the world’s richest and most powerful people await a decision as the first major events on the billionaires’ social calendar overlap this year.
President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20 coincides with the first day of Davos, an annual gathering of the world’s business and political elite in Davos, Switzerland, hosted by the World Economic Forum.
Those invited to these two events must now decide: do they miss a possible face-to-face meeting with the new president and members of his inner circle or do they skip a day of networking with political leaders and business titans? from all over the world?
Trump’s swearing-in begins Monday at noon ET.
The first item on the Davos agenda, “First Impressions: Inauguration Day,” will begin Monday at 3 p.m. local time. (Davos is six hours ahead of Washington, D.C.) Later Monday, an awards ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. Davos time, followed by an open forum and an opening concert, both to 6:30 p.m. Given the time difference, you wouldn’t be able to attend Trump’s inauguration and the first day of Davos in person, even with a private jet.
A large number of major US companies or their executives have donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund, including Meta, Amazon, Google, OpenAI and Uber.
Donating and attending the grand opening could be smart business moves. Trump was a vocal critic of Big Tech during his first term, so these companies and their executives could benefit from maneuvering to be in his good graces when he takes over the Oval Office.
Large donations to presidential inauguration funds typically come with exclusive perks, such as seats to the inaugural address or entry to black-tie balls or other events.
Donors who gave $1 million to the fund were supposed to each receive six tickets to six different events, including Trump’s swearing-in and a Jan. 19 “candlelight dinner” with Trump and his wife, Melania, the New York Times. Some big donors may no longer receive VIP tickets, however, because some events have already reached capacity, the Times reported.
Although it will be clear on Monday who has chosen to go to Washington, some CEOs are all but guaranteed to attend Trump’s inauguration.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been frequently spotted alongside Trump since the election and has blasted Davos in the past.
Screenshots of invitations to a black-tie reception Monday evening co-hosted by Mark Zuckerberg also circulated on social media this week. The invitation says Zuckerberg will co-host the event with Miriam Adelson, the billionaire widow of casino mogul Sheldon Adelson; Tilman Fertitta, Trump’s choice for US ambassador to Italy; and Chicago Cubs owner Todd Ricketts and his wife, Sylvie Légère.
Those who choose to attend the inauguration will still be able to see much of Davos. The annual event ends on January 24.
