Rachel Maddow she couldn’t contain her dismay at the presence of wealthy businessmen sitting in prime seats at President Trump’s inauguration, wondering, “how does this happen in America?”
Trump’s inauguration was attended by a variety of guests, from Argentine President Javier Miley to musician Carrie Underwood, but the MSNBC host was thrown into a frenzy by the image of Apple CEO Tim Cook hanging out with Trump’s homeland security nominee Kristi Noem.
“Homeland Security nominee Kristi Noem next to Apple CEO Tim Cook. How is this happening in America?” Maddow lamented.
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Meta and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Lauren Sanchez, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk attend the inauguration ceremony before Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th US president in The Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, DC on January 20, 2025. (Saul Loeb/Pool via REUTERS)
“How is this happening? Why are people with loads of money up there on the podium with cabinet candidates and family members?”
Trump’s relationship with Silicon Valley has done a complete 180 in recent weeks, with the once-antagonistic tech titans now struggling to get into the president’s good graces. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who also sat prominently at the inauguration, announced in January that he was ending the DEI policy at his various social media platformsincluding Facebook and Instagram. Meta and Amazon each donated more than $1 million to Trump’s inauguration.
Along with Zuckerberg and Cook, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who will chair Trump’s Department for Government Efficiency, all received prime real estate at the inauguration.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow strongly condemned the presence of tech CEOs at Trump’s inauguration. (Screenshot/MSNBC)
MSNBC host Alex Wagner warned that the presence of so many business people at the inauguration was meant to send a “message.”
“That’s the message. I mean it too and I think they’re worse for the exact reason you probably think they’re worse,” Joy Reid replied.
“It’s a pivotal moment here,” Maddow chimed in.
In his farewell address, former President Biden veiledly condemned the emergence of large-scale technological support for Trump, warning that an “oligarchy” is emerging. in America.
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“A oligarchy of extreme wealth, power and influence is taking shape in America that literally threatens our entire democracy. Our basic rights, freedoms and fair opportunity for all to thrive,” Biden said.
