Global Leaders
OpenLife Nigeria reports that ahead the January 20 inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America, some world leaders like Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Argentina’s Javier Milei, El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, and Hungary’s Viktor Orban have been officially invited to grace the ceremony.
Trump’s swearing in follows his landslide victory on November 5.
Preparations for his inauguration ceremony are underway, with several global leaders expected to attend the event in Washington, DC.
The ceremony will take place at noon (ET) at the US Capitol, with Trump’s swearing-in and other proceedings starting at 12 pm ET (10.30 pm IST).
Invitations have been extended to several major global powers and key US allies, including India, highlighting the diplomatic emphasis of the event.
Meanwhile, prominent industry leaders are vying for VIP access, aiming to build connections and secure favour with the incoming Trump administration.
Here’s a list of leaders who are likely to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony on January 20:
Chinese President Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping received a personal invitation from Donald Trump, a surprise move given the ongoing geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Trump and Xi had previously met at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, in June 2019. Transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt highlighted 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, media reports suggest that Xi may send a senior official in his place. According to News18, Vice President Han Zheng or Foreign Minister Wang Yi might represent China on January 20.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration, though she is still checking her schedule.
Reports have it that she has received an official invitation.
“If I can, I will gladly participate,” she said.
A populist and staunch conservative leader, Meloni met Trump at Mar-a-Lago on January 5, for a surprise dinner and a movie, where the President-elect also praised her as a “fantastic woman” and stated, “She’s really taken Europe by storm.”
Hungary’s Viktor Orban
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has reportedly received an invitation to the event, sources told CBS News. Orban, one of Trump’s closest foreign allies, is still deliberating whether he will attend. He previously visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago following his election victory.
Many Trump supporters in the US view Orban’s policies as a potential blueprint for Trump’s second term.
Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced he had received an invitation to Trump’s inauguration. Bolsonaro, currently seeking to reclaim his passport seized during an investigation into the 2023 attempted coup, expressed his “honour at receiving the invitation” on X.
His lawyer, Paulo Bueno, has already submitted a request to Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes for the passport’s release.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory in November.
CNN also confirmed that he has been invited. Notably, Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., attended Bukele’s inauguration last year.
Argentina President Javier Milei
Elected in 2023, Javier Milei, a key ally of Donald Trump is likely to attend as well, according to CBS News.
A spokesperson for the president confirmed this in December, highlighting Milei’s good relationship with the Republican leader.
Japan’s Takeshi Iwaya
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya confirmed his attendance at Trump’s inauguration as part of Japan’s effort to bolster ties with the new administration.
“We aim to build a relationship of trust with the Trump administration,” Iwaya stated in an interview on NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster.
Japan, a longstanding US ally, is keen to ensure a strong partnership during Trump’s second term.
Who Will Represent India?
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to represent India at Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony as the 47th President of the United States.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the news in a press release, stating that Jaishankar would also hold meetings with members of the incoming administration and other dignitaries attending the event.
The MEA 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 Leaders and Notable Figures
Apart from prominent world leaders, several influential figures are expected to attend Trump’s inauguration, including:
Eric Zemmour, a far-right politician from France.
Nigel Farage, a UK politician and long-time Trump ally, who confirmed his attendance via Sky News.
Bloomberg reported that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg plans to attend Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony.
In addition, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is expected to be present, as confirmed by a company spokesperson.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi will also participate in some related festivities. According to Bloomberg, Uber is co-hosting an inauguration party in Washington, DC, in collaboration with Elon Musk’s X and media firm The Free Press.
An advisor from Trump’s team told CNN, “Trump is very eager to have world leaders at the inauguration. He wants a global stage.”
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