As the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump approaches, fundraising efforts surrounding the event have broken previous records, amassing a staggering $170 million in contributions. This sum, which far surpasses past inauguration fundraising totals, reflects the broad corporate and individual support for the incoming president.
The funds are essential in financing various inauguration-related events, including the oath of office ceremony, the inaugural parade, and multiple gala balls.
Record-Breaking Fundraising For Trump’s 2025 Inauguration
The inauguration fundraising for President-elect Donald Trump has reached an unprecedented $170 million, setting a new benchmark for political fundraising. According to The New York Times, which first reported the figures on Wednesday, the amount of money raised for Trump’s second presidential term is enormous.
The total raised so far exceeds the $106 million raised during Trump’s first inauguration in 2016 and the $62 million raised by President Joe Biden’s inaugural committee four years ago.
The donations are important for the organization of events around the inauguration, including the traditional swearing-in ceremony, the inauguration parade, and other events that celebrate the arrival of the new president in Washington, D.C. Companies and wealthy donors often contribute large sums to these efforts, hoping to support the administration and curry favor with the incoming leadership.
Corporate Giants Show Their Support
Millions have come in from many of the nation’s high-profile corporations and tech executives. Some of the biggest donors come from the most recognized names in the tech world, including Amazon, Meta-which runs Facebook and Instagram-, Google, and Microsoft-all giving $1 million each to the inauguration.
Notably, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, also announced his intention to donate $1 million to the cause. Despite some past criticism of Trump, Altman remarked, “He’s the president of the United States. I support any president,” acknowledging the importance of backing the incoming administration.
According to a statement by Google’s head of government affairs and public policy, Karan Bhatia, the company supports the inauguration. He stated that Google has sponsored a YouTube livestream of the inauguration and a front-and-center link on Google’s homepage during the event. It is not the first time that the tech giant donated to an inauguration. This follows the same procedure as previous years.
Reportedly, even the Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook has donated for this event which once again marks that the technology world supports Trump inauguration as well. Other donors include Ford that donated 1 million dollars and fleet of cars to make the celebrations worthwhile.
In addition to the big companies, there are also many other organizations, such as AI search startup Perplexity, that are included in the list of donors. Perplexity donated $1 million and provided the administration with a free version of its premium software, which was supposed to become a fruitful cooperation with the new administration.
Microsoft, another tech giant, also donated $1 million and joined its peers in supporting the inaugural events. These donations reveal the critical role that tech companies and other big industries play in shaping the future relationship between the administration and key corporate players.
Access To Inaugural Events
Donors who donate large amounts of money are often privy to highly coveted access to inauguration events. Those donating $1 million or more are usually offered VIP status to the swearing-in ceremony, as well as the majority of other inauguration events-the balls, in particular-and other events. But this year, for the first time in many, some donors have faced waiting lists or have been told that VIP status no longer exists because so many people are donating.
The New York Times reported that the inaugural committee has stopped selling tickets to major donors for exclusive events. Even some donors who gave more than a million dollars will not be eligible for VIP access to the swearing-in ceremony and other private events. Several donors were told that they would probably not get access to the events they wanted to attend.
Officially, the inaugural events start on January 17. Donors who have donated $1 million or raised $2 million are being given tickets to six events, including the most highly anticipated event: the swearing-in ceremony on January 19. The donors will also have a special “candlelight dinner” with Trump and incoming First Lady Melania Trump.
Moreover, donors are invited to an inaugural dinner with Vice President-elect JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance-the largest financial supporters of the administration.
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