Who is invited to Donald Trump's inauguration and who is boycotting it?

From foreign dignitaries to celebrities, The National looks at the guest list

UFC chief Dana White, president-elect Donald Trump, singer Kid Rock and Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk. AFP

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.”