Historic Event: World Leaders to Attend Trump's Inauguration
JAKARTA, investortrust.id - For the first time in U.S. history, an elected president will welcome foreign leaders in one of America's most distinctive political traditions: the peaceful transfer of power.
Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States (U.S.) on Monday, January 20, 2025. In addition to marking Trump's return to the White House, he will also become the second president to serve non-consecutive terms after Grover Cleveland.
Trump's inauguration will be the 60th such event. Key figures will attend the inauguration, including current and former U.S. presidents, leaders from various countries, political leaders, business magnates, and influential individuals.
Several billionaires are scheduled to attend, as well as some CEOs of major tech companies.
President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping and conservative world leaders such as Argentine President Javier Milei and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to his inauguration. Xi will not attend but will send his vice president.
No head of state has previously made an official visit to the U.S. for a presidential inauguration.
Some of these leaders, such as Milei and Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, were special guests at the pre-inauguration Hispanic party on Saturday night, where several of Trump's cabinet nominees were present. These included U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, chosen to lead the State Department, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., appointed to head the Department of Health and Human Services.
Below is a list of foreign leaders who will attend Trump's inauguration, as reported by PBS News:
China
Chinese President Xi Jinping was the first foreign leader whose invitation to the inauguration was announced in December. Xi will not attend in person but will send Vice President Han Zheng.
The announcement of Han's attendance was made last Friday by China's foreign ministry, amid the potential for increased competition between the U.S. and China under Trump. Several of Trump's cabinet nominees are known for their tough stance on China, including Rubio, who has called China "the most powerful, dangerous, and comparable enemy this country has ever faced."
Trump has promised to impose tariffs and other measures against China. However, the two leaders spoke by phone on Friday and discussed trade, fentanyl, and TikTok. Trump described the call as "very good."
Argentina
Milei was the first foreign leader to meet with Trump after the November 5 election, traveling from Buenos Aires to the president-elect's Mar-a-Lago club. He is scheduled to attend three pre-inauguration galas over the weekend and one of the official inauguration parties that Trump will attend on Inauguration Day, as well as the swearing-in ceremony.
The Argentine leader describes himself as an "anarcho-capitalist." He has often received praise from billionaire Elon Musk, who has grown closer to Trump since the election, for implementing a series of austerity measures that laid off tens of thousands of government workers, froze public infrastructure projects, and set wages and pensions below the inflation rate.
Musk will lead a non-governmental effort to cut federal government spending, regulations, and personnel. Milei hopes good relations with the U.S. will help Argentina reach a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Italy
Meloni recently visited Mar-a-Lago. Her weekly agenda states that she will attend the swearing-in ceremony.
Meloni previously had a good relationship with Democratic President Joe Biden but is expected to more naturally build an alliance with Trump. She is considered a key link between Europe and the U.S.
Georgia
Former pro-Western Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili will attend the ceremony as a guest of Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C. Georgia is currently experiencing protests following parliamentary elections deemed fraudulent by opposition groups.
Zourabichvili has declared herself the legitimate leader of the former Soviet republic after Mikheil Kavelashvili was inaugurated as president last month from a party criticized for becoming increasingly authoritarian and leaning towards Moscow.
France
French President Emmanuel Macron will not attend Trump's inauguration, but French right-wing figures such as Eric Zemmour and Marion Maréchal will be present.
Ecuador, Paraguay, Taiwan
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and Paraguayan President Santiago Peña have also received invitations and plan to attend. Taiwan will send Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu and seven other delegates.
U.S.-Taiwan relations improved during Trump's first term, although Trump criticized Taiwan for pulling some semiconductor industry from the U.S.