Bezos, Musk, Meloni among attendees at Donald Trump inauguration
Correction: This story has been updated to correct the name of George W. Bush's spouse
President Donald Trump took the oath of office for a second time Monday, becoming the 47th president in front of a reduced audience in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.
Attendees included Trump's family, now former President and Vice-President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, Trump's cabinet, as well as government leaders foreign and domestic.
Trump called the first day of his second term "liberation day" in a speech that touted the administration's conservative principles.
Inauguration live updates: Donald Trump sworn in as 47th president
"From this moment on, America's decline is over," Trump said.
Invited guests gave a signal that the incoming administration appears to have found friendly ground amongst some of the largest businesses in the country and a common cause with the far-right internationally.
Tech barons, business elite get coveted inauguration seats
Prime seating for the ceremony was given to a slate of industrial tycoons who have recently come to Trump's heel. Those include:
Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos
Google CEO Sundar Pichai
Apple CEO Tim Cook
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg
Far-right social media baron Elon Musk was a prominent figure during the ceremony, continuing his presence that was established during the campaign.
Tik Tok CEO Shou Zi Chew, attended Trump's inauguration following the Supreme Court's unanimous decision to uphold the law banning the platform in the U.S.
Trump once criticized TikTok and tried to ban it during his first administration. He has since embraced the company, though, saying he has a "warm spot" for it and wants to "save" it.
"I don't celebrate rapists": AOC, other Democrats skip inauguration
Democratic star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declared that she would not be attending the ceremony in an Instagram post on Sunday.
"Let me make myself clear: I don't celebrate rapists. So no, I'm not going to the inauguration," Ocasio-Cortez said.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also skipped Trump's inauguration. Other Democrats absent from the ceremony included Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas and Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts.
"I'll be in town with my constituents honoring Dr. King's legacy," Pressley previously told USA TODAY. "I don't think being there does that."
Former Presidents appeared at ceremony, ditch lunch
Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama were in attendance for the inauguration ceremony. Clinton and Bush attended with their spouses, Laura Bush and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, while Obama attended alone as Michelle Obama previously announced her decision not to attend the ceremony.
Former presidents and their families have traditionally attended inaugurations after leaving office, with the notable exception of the incoming president. Trump skipped the inauguration of President Joe Biden in 2021, in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
NBC News reported that the former presidents will not attend the traditional inaugural luncheon, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Right wing heads of state, Chinese delegations appear
Two notable far-right heads of state appeared at the Capitol Monday. Argentina's Javier Milei and Italy's Giorgia Meloni both attended the inauguration ceremony, marking the first time serving heads of state have taken part in the American transfer of power.
Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng also appeared at the ceremony on Monday.
Contributing: Jonathan Limehouse, Josh Meyer, Mary Walrath-Holdridge, Doyle Rice, Riley Beggin, Anika Reed, Brendan Morrow - USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump inauguration sees far-right , industrial barons make appearances