As an unconventional politician, incoming United States President Donald Trump has often flouted diplomatic norms. So it's no surprise that his inauguration as president is breaking with tradition.

Trump is the first president-elect in over a century to invite foreign leaders to his inauguration, according to US media. Historically, the event has been attended by foreign diplomats and ambassadors.

"It's unusual to have this kind of foreign [leader] attendance, because the inauguration is seen as a domestic political event," said Cayce Myers, a professor at Virginia Tech who focuses on the intersection of public relations and politics, REL reports.

Among the foreign leaders invited are Italy's conservative prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, and Argentina's right-wing populist president, Javier Miel. Chinese Vice President Han Zheng is also invited.

There will also be politicians and businessmen from Kosovo at Trump's inauguration.

The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, will participate in this event, as will former Kosovo President Behgjet Pacolli, the mayor of Pristina, Përparim Rama, and businessman Shkëlqim Devolli.

Trump “uses these big events, like the inauguration, as an opportunity to build connections and find common ground,” Myers said. “It’s a very unique way of approaching diplomacy, and it’s a way that has its roots in business.”

Tech billionaires

Other VIP guests at the inauguration include the biggest names in the US tech industry, including X and Tesla owner Elon Musk, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. The leaders of Apple, OpenAI, Uber and TikTok they are reported to have accepted invitations as well.

Some of these companies have made donations to Trump's inauguration fund, which has raised a record amount of more than $170 million.

Silicon Valley, the US technology hub, responded cautiously to Trump's surprise victory in 2016. Musk, one of the biggest donors to Trump's 2024 election campaign, had supported his opponent, Hillary Clinton, that year.

Business leaders gathered in the VIP section at Trump's 2017 inauguration included billionaires from the casino industry to finance.

But Silicon Valley's change of attitude is driven by a desire to have a seat at the table when it comes to regulations and tariffs for the tech sector, experts said.

Matthew Dallek, a professor of political history at George Washington University, said that tech companies will seek to "avoid" any new tariffs that could potentially affect their businesses.

Dallek said that the administration of US President Joe Biden has damaged relations with Silicon Valley, accusing Amazon of monopoly practices, demanding the breakup of Google, suing Meta, ignoring Tesla during a White House event dedicated to electric cars, and fighting the cryptocurrency industry.

"A lot of people in the tech world were really upset with the Biden administration's efforts to regulate them and limit how they operate. They felt this was aggressive suppression," Dallek said.

"In addition, they felt that there were a lot of negative comments that were made by the White House. Instead of being seen as heroes of the new digital age, they realized that they were being slandered by some Biden officials," he added.

In his farewell address to the nation on January 15, Biden warned that a "dangerous oligarchy" of wealthy people is forming in America and is wielding power that threatens democracy.

"I am concerned about the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a few wealthy people," Biden said, without naming names.

Musk, the richest man in the world, is believed to have significant influence over Trump.

The president-elect appointed Musk to oversee a commission that will deal with improving government efficiency, including cutting spending.

Cold weather

Since 1981, the inauguration has been held on the west front of the Capitol, where a platform has been built for the event, which can accommodate over 1.600 people.

Among the attendees are usually the outgoing president and the outgoing vice president and their families; the president-elect and vice president-elect along with their families; former presidents and their spouses; cabinet members and nominees; the 535 members of Congress; the nine members of the Supreme Court; foreign ambassadors; members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and other guests, including advisors and close friends of the incoming president, as well as major and famous donors.

Celebrities reportedly set to attend Trump's inauguration include former boxing champion Mike Tyson, as well as other athletes and musicians.

Several Democratic members of Congress, including Nancy Pelosi, one of the party's most powerful figures, have reportedly not attended the inauguration.

Other prominent figures who will not attend the event include former first lady Michelle Obama, REL reports.

Due to the cold weather, the inauguration will be held inside the Capitol building, for the first time since 1985. This space only holds about 600 people, which means that VIP guests will not be able to attend.

In addition to the inauguration, several other important events will take place before and after the swearing-in ceremony, including a dinner on January 19 attended by Trump and his wife, Melania. There will also be several inauguration balls held on the evening of January 20.