Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President of the United States is expected to be a high-profile event, with several global leaders and influential figures confirming their attendance. The ceremony will take place on January 20 at the US Capitol, with proceedings starting at 12 pm ET (10:30 pm IST)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has received an official invitation and plans to attend the inauguration, pending confirmation of her schedule. Meloni, a populist and staunch conservative leader, has been a vocal supporter of Trump’s policies and has sought to strengthen ties between Italy and the US.
The Chinese President Xi Jinping also received an invitation from Donald Trump, with spokesperson Karoline Leavitt highlighting the invitation as an example of Trump “creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies but our adversaries and our competitors”. However, Xi Jinping will send a high-level envoy to represent Beijing.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has also received an invitation to attend the inauguration, although he has yet to confirm his attendance. Orban, one of Trump’s closest foreign allies, has been a key supporter of the president-elect’s hard-right policies.
Argentine President Javier Milei will break tradition by attending the inauguration himself, rather than sending a representative.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro also received an invitation for Trump’s inauguration but is currently seeking to obtain a return of his confiscated passport, which was seized during an investigation into the 2023 attempted coup.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory and has been invited to attend the inauguration. Bukele has been a key ally of Trump’s in Central America.
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya will attend the inauguration as part of Japan’s effort to bolster ties with the new administration. Iwaya has stated that Japan aims to build a relationship of trust with the Trump administration, and his presence at the inauguration is seen as a significant gesture of goodwill.
“We aim to build a relationship of trust with the Trump administration,” Iwaya stated in an interview on NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will represent India at the inauguration, following an invitation from the Trump-Vance inaugural committee. Jaishankar’s attendance is seen as a significant gesture of support for Trump, who has sought to strengthen ties with India and other key Asian nations.
The foreign ministry statement read, “On the invitation of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar will represent the Government of India at the Swearing-In Ceremony of President-Elect Donald J. Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America.”
Other notable attendees at the inauguration will include Eric Zemmour, a far-right politician from France, and Nigel Farage, a UK politician and long-time Trump ally. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is also expected to attend the inauguration with fellow billionaires – Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg.
The inauguration will also be attended by former US Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, who will be accompanied by their spouses, except for Michelle Obama. Joe Biden has confirmed his attendance, dismissing controversy surrounding his presence as “childish games.”
