Aside from the US tech billionaires and the Maga crowd, Trump’s inauguration included a notable international contingent, from fringe far-right European politicians to an Irish cage fighter.
Here are some key figures who flew overseas for Trump’s swearing-in, as well as galas and parties surrounding the event.
Trump-friendly foreign politicians
-
Italy's Giorgia Meloni and Argentina's Javier Milei
The unofficial queen and king of the international right at the inauguration – invited into the inner halls of the US Capitol rotunda – were the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, and Argentina’s president, Javier Milei.
Javier Milei and Giorgia Meloni arrive for the inauguration ceremony. Photograph: Saul Loeb/Reuters The couple were photographed chatting and giggling at the event, and enjoying a view from the back of the hall with media mogul Rupert Murdoch sitting nearby.
Rupert Murdoch arrives at the 60th presidential inauguration Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Reuters Milei, a self-described “anarcho-capitalist”, has been a Maga affiliate, with his “chainsaw” campaign of deregulation earning him praise from Trump, who has described him as his “favourite president”.
Meloni, who leads the far-right, anti-immigration Brothers of Italy, has been one of Trump’s closest allies in Europe. Earlier this month she visited his Mar-a-Lago resort, where Trump praised her as “a fantastic woman” who had “taken Europe by storm”.
Key top EU leaders including the commission president, Ursula von der Leyen and top diplomat Kaja Kallas, were not present.
-
Éric Zemmour, president of France's nationalist Reconquest party
Éric Zemmour (left) pictured with foreign policy adviser Ken Weinstein at an inaugural gala. Photograph: Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Uber, X and The Free Press Former far-right French presidential candidate Éric Zemmour was seen at an inaugural gala. A French court had previously found Zemmour guilty of racist hate speech. In September 2020 when he told the CNews channel that child migrants were “thieves, killers, they’re rapists. That’s all they are. We should send them back.”
-
Nigel Farage, leader of the United Kingdom’s anti-immigration Reform party
Farage, left, speaks with former UFC champion Conor McGregor at a rally before the inauguration. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP UK anti-migrant firebrand Nigel Farage had been tipped to be invited to the swearing-in. But in the end, Farage, who has had an on-off relationship with Trump and his Maga crowd, said he “didn’t make the cut”. He was photographed attending a gala.
-
Other UK rightwing Trumpophiles
Boris Johnson arrives for the inauguration. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images The UK’s former Conservative prime minister Boris Johnson attended the inauguration itself. His short-lived successor Liz Truss, the former home secretary Suella Braverman and the former defence secretary Liam Fox were also in Washington for the inauguration, but weren’t in the Capitol rotunda.
“The new [Trump] term can’t come soon enough,” wrote Truss in a post on X with a photo of her in a red Maga hat outside DC’s Mayflower Hotel. “The west needs it.”
The preacher Calvin Robinson, a spokesperson for the populist British UK Independence party, posted footage on social media of himself sitting on a sofa at a watch-party alongside the rightwing activist Laurence Fox, and the American musician Kid Rock.
-
Official delegations
Officials delegations from foreign governments at the swearing-in – not including heads of state – were limited but included:
-
China’s vice-president, Han Zheng.
-
Japan's foreign minister, Takeshi Iwaya
- -
India's external affairs minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
-
Other notable figures
-
Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor in Emancipation Hall at the US Capitol in Washington. Photograph: Angelina Katsanis/EPA Trump’s team has entwined his political campaign with cage fighting, including a 2020 rally called “Fighters Against Socialism”.
CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Dana White, a loyal longtime friend of the president, was present at the inauguration itself.
Former UFC champion Conor McGregor flew into Washington DC for events surrounding the swearing-in.
Dana White arrives for the ceremony. Photograph: Ricky Carioti/Reuters McGregor posted videos on X including one of him speaking to Pete Hegseth, nominee for US secretary of defence, and another in which he defended jailed far-right British activist Tommy Robinson.
In November, a jury at a civil trial at Ireland’s high court found McGregor assaulted a woman who had accused him of raping her at a hotel in Dublin in December 2018. McGregor has said he would appeal against the decision.
-
Bernard Arnault, founder of LVMH
French luxury goods tycoon Bernard Arnault was a surprise guest at the swearing-in, although he has worked with Trump in the past.
Arnault, as CEO of the world’s largest luxury goods conglomerate that owns Tiffany & Co, Moët & Chandon and Louis Vuitton, was given a top spot (and rare extra seats for his family) behind former US presidents.
-
Gianni Infantino, president of Fifa
The president of Fifa, Gianni Infantino, was at the swearing-in too, days after meeting Trump in Florida.
His appearance is not unexpected – the 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.
Those who didn’t make it
-
International far-right politicians
Several invitations were reportedly sent to members of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), although the party’s candidate for chancellor, Alice Weidel, did not attend.
Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former president, had attempted to travel to Washington for the event but was denied his request to have his passport returned by Brazil’s supreme court.
Jair Bolsonaro reacts after bidding farewell to his wife Michelle Bolsonaro at Brasilia international airport as she departs for the Trump inauguration. Photograph: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters The former president reportedly sobbed at the airport as he bid farewell to his wife, who did fly to Washington. “Of course, it would have been wonderful for me to go. President Trump really wanted it, so much so that he invited me. I’m upset, still shaken,” Bolsonaro told reporters.
France
