President Donald Trump's second inauguration saw a significant presence of billionaires, raising concerns about the growing influence of wealth in American politics. The event, attended by Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and other prominent figures, sparked debate about the nature of Trump's administration and the potential for an oligarchy.
Lauren Sanchez declared that Sunday would be “a magical evening,” as she and her fiancé Jeff Bezos were greeted by Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and Elon Musk at the gala candlelight dinner for Donald Trump , ahead of his inauguration Monday. The event, held at the National Building Museum in Washington, was a gathering of America's most powerful elite, raising questions about the growing influence of billionaires in American politics.
Another striking image from the event was of the two richest men in the world, Musk followed by Bezos, hobnobbing with Trump’s daughter and son-in-law, who’s on the verge of becoming a billionaire himself. This juxtaposition of immense wealth with political power suggests that America could be on its way to the oligarchy that Joe Biden warned about in his final address as president. On Monday, Bezos, Sanchez and Musk joined Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, another tech billionaire and the world’s third richest man, on the dais in the U.S. Capitol rotunda, as Trump was sworn in for a second term. It was as if these mega-wealthy people were looking down upon others gathered in the rotunda, including elected officials. Zuckerburg, Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google C.E.O. Sundar Pichai also were photographed attending ceremonies at St. John’s Church, before the inauguration.Bezos’s inclusion in Trump’s MAGA circles could have been predicted more than a year ago, when Sanchez and Ivanka Trump were spotted together at the 43rd birthday party of another billionaire friend, Kim Kardashian. It’s even tempting to wonder if Sanchez helped ease her fiancé’s rapprochement with Trump and MAGA-world after years of public feuding. Meanwhile, her friend Ivanka Trump also “had a shining moment,” wearing a custom, off-the-shoulder crystal-and-pearl Oscar de la Renta gown. Before the Nov. 5 election, Bezos became the poster boy for America’s billionaires bending the knee to Trump when the Amazon founder ordered his editors at his newspaper, the Washington Post, to kill an already prepared endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris. Meanwhile, Musk took a hands-on role in the final stretch of Trump’s campaign, contributing some $200 million through a super PAC to ensure his election, as the Associated Press reported. He’s also reportedly been living at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort during the transition and has a role in shaping the new government. Both Musk and Bezos have huge contracts with the federal government through their respective rocket companies.While the mega-rich have long had a prominent role in national politics, and several billionaires helped bankroll Harris’ campaign, the Associated Press said that Trump’s inauguration will highlight “the unusually direct role” that billionaires will have in the 47th president’s administration. Biden’s use of the word “oligarchy” was “no accident,” the Associated Press said, offering a direct reference to the form of government in Russia, whose President Vladimir Putin helps the uber-rich stay wealthy and controls them through rewards and threats. It’s reported that at least a dozen billionaires are among Trump’s cabinet picks and are headed for senior roles in his new administration. Musk tops the list according to Forbes. While Trump campaigned as a populist defender of the American working class, he also put some of his richest donors in top jobs in government, the New York Times also said. Moreover, a number also will oversee the industries that produced their fortunes. “It’s tempting to liken this to the Gilded Age, but John D. Rockefeller didn’t actually run McKinley’s campaign or move into the White House,” That’s a quote to the New York Times from Michael Waldman, who was President Bill Clinton’s chief speechwriter and is now president and chief executive of the Brennan Center for Justice, which promotes legal system reforms and works to curb money in politics.
Billionaires Donald Trump Oligarchy Influence Of Wealth Politics Inauguration
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