WASHINGTON − Influential tech billionaire Elon Musk secured a prominent seat inside the U.S. Capitol to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, highlighting Musk’s growing impact on American politics and the forthcoming administration’s strategies.

Prior to the festivities, Musk was seated alongside Meta CEO Marc Zuckerberg and Amazon’s CEO Jeffrey Bezos, right in front of the new president’s upcoming Cabinet, as reported by the media pool during the inauguration.

Musk is leading Trump’s newly established Department of Governmental Efficiency, an advisory group tasked with recommending cuts to federal spending and the elimination of certain regulations. This commission is co-chaired by businessman and potential Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, and is anticipated to face a transparency lawsuit from a watchdog organization.

The tech mogul, known as the head of companies like SpaceX and Tesla, has become increasingly visible throughout the 2024 election cycle. He also spoke to supporters during an inauguration-eve rally, marking him as the only guest speaker for the new president.

Why is Elon Musk Here for Trump’s Inauguration?

In recent months, Musk has taken on a more significant role within Trump’s circle, reportedly even staying at a $2,000-per-night cottage at Mar-a-Lago, the president-elect’s luxurious club and residence in South Florida. His involvement resembles that of a senior advisor, a celebrity supporter, and an informal Cabinet member.

During a rally at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. last night, Trump did not introduce vice-president elect J.D. Vance but did include Musk, who was accompanied by his son, X.

“We’re eager to implement numerous changes,” Musk expressed to the audience. “What’s vital moving forward is to enact meaningful changes, solidify them, and lay the groundwork for a robust America for generations to come.”

Musk, who contributed over $250 million to support Trump’s reelection campaign, is now overseeing the administration’s fledgling Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has plans to eliminate trillions in federal waste. Recently, Musk revised the DOGE target, stating in an interview on X, formerly Twitter, that the initial goal of cutting $2 trillion is now seen as a “best-case scenario,” hinting that closer to $1 trillion in cuts is more realistic.

As CEO of the automotive and clean energy entity Tesla, Inc., Musk has amassed a staggering fortune currently estimated by Forbes to be around $444 billion, making him the wealthiest individual globally.

However, his ascent has not been without issues. Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in 2022, which he rebranded as “X,” has been controversial. Under his guidance, the platform has significantly loosened its moderation rules, transforming it into a significant space for hate speech and a welcoming ground for extremists, including white supremacists.

Even while promoting a stance of “free speech absolutism,” notable left-leaning figures have been banned from the platform, as have critics of Musk’s lifestyle. Recently, over a dozen conservative pundits who disagreed with Musk regarding immigration policy suddenly lost their “blue check marks” on X without any clarification, according to NBC News.

Where Was Elon Musk on Inauguration Day?

Musk made an appearance on Monday morning at the historic St. John’s Church, where the president-elect, First Lady Melania Trump, and other officials gathered for a special non-partisan church service.

The head of DOGE was seated next to incoming national security advisor and former GOP Representative Mike Waltz from Florida, who later shared a selfie of them on X. Also present in the photo was Julia Nesheiwat, Waltz’s wife and former advisor to Trump on homeland security.

Following the church service, Musk was seen entering the Capitol for the indoor inauguration ceremony, where he and his mother Maye had “some of the best seats in the house,” according to an Associated Press reporter in attendance.

During the inauguration, Musk, along with fellow tech leaders Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Sundar Pichai of Google, and Jeff Bezos of Amazon, sat to the left of the stage in front of Trump’s Cabinet selections. They were positioned directly behind Trump family members − Melania and their teenage son Barron − as well as family members of Vice President J.D. Vance.