Inauguration prices
The celebrations for the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump, lasted several days before and after the actual day of the oath-taking on Monday, January 19. According to various sources, between 220,000 and 250,000 tickets were distributed — this is for ordinary MAGA citizens, who received their tickets for free or almost free at the office of their congressman or senator, American media report.
No other way could an invitation to the inauguration be obtained for «free», and no one sent it for «free». For many tens or even hundreds of thousands of Americans who spent money on tickets to Washington, hotels, or rented apartments, it was not a very successful experience. After the inauguration was moved (due to cold weather and/or security concerns) inside the Capitol building, into its Rotunda (where, incidentally, on January 6, 2021, fistfights between the Capitol Police and attackers took place, many of whom went to jail for this and were just pardoned by Trump), the tickets of thousands of ordinary Americans became nothing more than souvenirs.
Billionaires at Trump's inauguration
In the Rotunda, which accommodated about 700 people, only special invitees, past presidents and their spouses (Michelle Obama announced in advance that she would not attend the ceremony), billionaires — heads of all the largest technology giants in America, Republicans — congressmen and senators, and some Democrats, ambassadors, personally invited by Trump heads of some states — right-wing politicians (for example, the presidents of Argentina and Colombia, the Prime Minister of Italy) and leaders of right-wing parties like the German AFb. At the stadium, where Trump met with his supporters and signed several decrees, and where a quite caricatured parade took place, which usually passed along Pennsylvania Avenue, where the White House is located, 20,000 people were accommodated. But these are ordinary Americans.
Not ordinary — received invitations in exchange for contributions to the inauguration fund (more than 170 million dollars was collected in it). From 500,000 dollars to 2 million dollars, for separate events without top officials — from 50,000 dollars to 100,000 dollars.
Google founder Sergey Brin (right) at the presidential ball
As reported by the newspaper The New York Times, those who donated or raised from 1 to 2 million dollars received six tickets to six different VIP events, including the ceremony at the Capitol and a candlelight dinner in the building of one of the museums in Washington, where Trump gave a speech, and First Lady Melania Trump charmed with her outfit. Plus — two tickets to a lunch with Vice President J.D. Vance (J.D. Vance) and his wife.
Especially important donors began celebrating with Trump even at his estate in Mar-a-Lago, in his first term called the «winter White House». There, on the eve of the flight to Washington, a dinner for a very narrow circle took place — for twenty people, our sources report.
Other media provide an even more detailed price list. For a contribution to the inauguration fund in the amount of 500,000 dollars, an invitation was sent only to a candlelight dinner (and with a very slow serving of food, our source reports). A donation of 100,000 dollars «may not be noticed at all», writes one of the media, which also provides a table of rates, 50,000 dollars gave the guest access to an event with ministers — members of Trump's cabinet.
The inauguration committee has already announced that the money collected in the fund — the amount is approaching 200 million dollars, — turned out to be more than spent, the remainder will go to the fund of the presidential library-museum of the 45th and 47th President of the United States Donald John Trump.
Photo USA Today, blogs
* Evgenia Albats is recognized as a «foreign agent» in Russia.