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Tech Billionaires, CEOs, and Foreign Diplomats Attend Trump’s Inauguration

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Several high-profile tech billionaires, CEOs, and international figures attended U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony on Monday. The event saw prominent figures like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Mukesh Ambani, among others, marking a key moment for the world’s wealthiest and most influential individuals.

Notable Inauguration Day Attendees

  • Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX, X): The world’s richest man, Musk, played a significant role in supporting Trump’s election campaign and is now expected to lead initiatives aimed at improving U.S. government efficiency.
  • Shou Zi Chew (TikTok): TikTok’s CEO attended after Trump helped restore the app’s U.S. service, following concerns about its Chinese ownership.
  • Mark Zuckerberg (Meta Platforms): Zuckerberg has worked to mend relations with the Trump administration, especially after scaling back certain content moderation policies that were criticized by conservative supporters.
  • Miriam Adelson: The casino magnate and major Trump supporter helped fund Trump’s super PAC, which supported his first presidential campaign.
  • Mukesh Ambani (Reliance Industries): The Indian billionaire and head of the conglomerate Reliance Industries also attended, strengthening ties with the U.S. business and political scene.
  • Bernard Arnault and the Arnault Family (LVMH): LVMH’s CEO and his family, known as France’s wealthiest, attended, underscoring their global influence in the luxury goods sector.
  • Jeff Bezos (Amazon): Amazon’s founder and chair, along with his fiancée Lauren Sanchez, arrived at the ceremony, with Bezos continuing to play a significant role in media and tech.
  • Sundar Pichai (Google): Pichai represented Alphabet (Google), a company that had also contributed $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund.
  • Boris Johnson (Former UK Prime Minister): The former British Prime Minister, dubbed “Britain Trump” by Trump himself, attended the ceremony and continued his strong stance on Ukrainian support.

EU Rejects Meta’s Censorship Claims, Defends Data Laws

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The European Commission responded on Wednesday to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s claims that European Union data laws were effectively censoring social media platforms. The Commission rejected the assertion, clarifying that the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) does not mandate the removal of lawful content. Instead, it only requires platforms to take down harmful content, such as material that could harm children or threaten the democratic process within the EU.

Zuckerberg had criticized the EU’s increasing number of laws, suggesting they hinder innovation and promote censorship. He also announced that Meta would dismantle its fact-checking programs in the U.S., opting for a “community notes” system similar to X’s model, where users can add notes to posts they deem misleading, provided these notes receive broad support.

In response, the European Commission emphasized that while platforms may adopt their own content moderation strategies, any system used within the EU would need to undergo a risk assessment. The Commission stressed that it does not prescribe specific moderation approaches but does require that any system implemented be effective in addressing harmful content.

A Commission spokesperson stated that EU users would continue to benefit from independent fact-checking processes, ensuring the accuracy and safety of content shared across platforms.

 

Iconiq Growth Expands Leadership with Datadog’s Amit Agarwal as General Partner

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Iconiq Growth, the venture arm of Iconiq Capital, has appointed Amit Agarwal, President of cloud-based analytics firm Datadog, as a general partner in a strategic move to expand its leadership team. Agarwal brings over 12 years of experience from Datadog, a company that has been part of Iconiq’s portfolio for years.

In his new role, Agarwal will focus on software startups, particularly as artificial intelligence continues to reshape the technology landscape. Having worked closely with Iconiq Growth since its initial investment in Datadog in 2015, Agarwal’s ties to the firm run deep, especially through his relationship with Iconiq partner Matthew Jacobson, who sits on Datadog’s board.

“I want to join a multistage firm where I can invest in companies at different stages of their growth,” Agarwal stated. He emphasized the significant role Iconiq plays as a partner to its portfolio companies, leveraging its vast network of high-net-worth individuals, including influential tech figures like Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey, to support founders.

This addition to the leadership team follows Iconiq Growth’s expansion, which included five new partners last year, bringing the total to 16. The firm closed a $5.75 billion fund in 2024, despite a broader decline in venture capital fundraising, according to PitchBook. The larger fund size enables Iconiq Growth to delve deeper into early-stage investments, with half of their recent investments going to startups with revenues under $10 million.

Recent hires at Iconiq Growth have focused on experienced executives from major companies, also known as operators, further reinforcing its commitment to active engagement with portfolio companies.