Article by Matthew Cranston, courtesy of Australian Financial Review.
Washington | Billionaire packaging king Anthony Pratt and mining magnate Gina Rinehart will attend next week’s inauguration for President-elect Donald Trump’s second mandate, where they will be rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s biggest business names.
Mr Pratt, a green-card-holder who has invested heavily in the US, has strengthened his relationship with Mr Trump in recent years. The friendship started during the first mandate, when Mr Trump was invited to Pratt Industries’ Wapakoneta, Ohio recycling and paper plant during then-prime minister Scott Morrison’s state visit to the US.
There appeared to be a brief falling-out after Mr Trump lost the 2020 election, when federal prosecutors interviewed Mr Pratt as part of their investigation of the removal of classified documents from the White House when he left office.
Mr Pratt is said to have told prosecutors that Mr Trump revealed sensitive information about US nuclear submarines.
Mr Trump later denied that, posting on social media: “I never spoke to [Pratt] about submarines, but I did speak to him about creating jobs in Ohio and Pennsylvania because that’s what I’m all about.”
This time around, Mr Pratt gave $US10 million ($16 million) to a Trump super political action committee (PAC) in last year’s election, and then attended his New Year’s Eve ball at the Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
He has also been invited to several prominent lead-up events to Monday’s (Tuesday AEDT) inauguration ceremony in Washington. The committee in charge of the events has raised a record $US200 million from dozens of top US businesses and entrepreneurs.
Tesla boss and Trump confidant Elon Musk, along with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, are expected to attend. The three billionaires are collectively worth about $US885 billion, underscoring the degree to which deep-pocketed donors and corporations are seeking favour with the president-elect.
The trio is expected to sit together on the dais, a prominent location alongside former presidents, Mr Trump’s family, cabinet picks and lawmakers, according to a Trump official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the unannounced plans.
On Saturday, ahead of the inauguration, Mr Pratt will attend a black-tie reception and dinner at the National Gallery of Art with Vice President-elect J. D. Vance and the incoming Trump cabinet members.
On the eve of the inauguration ceremony itself, he will attend a black-tie candlelight dinner with Mr Trump and first lady Melania, along with incoming cabinet members and the other major donors at the National Building Museum.
The highest-tier ticket package for the events costs $US1 million ($1.6 million) – a marked increase from the previous mandate when similar access cost $US500,000.
Mr Pratt will also attend the swearing-in ceremony on Monday (Tuesday AEDT), which Australian government officials including Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Australian ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd will attend. Former Australian ambassador to the US Joe Hockey will also be there.
Full-page advertisements
Gina Rinehart, Australia’s richest person, is also expected to attend. The mining magnate, who was at Trump’s election night victory party in Mar-a-Lago, recently paid for a series of full-page advertisements in The New York Post, Trump’s favourite newspaper, to congratulate the president-elect. The paid advertisement was signed by “Gina Rinehart and friends”.
“Like many all over the world we salute your leadership President-elect Trump,” the ad said.
“Many in Australia and around the world are given hope and much needed inspiration thanks to your election,” it said.
Money raised for the inauguration events, and the price of access, reflects the enthusiasm among business leaders to get close to Trump, who has promised an expedited pathway to permits and project approvals for anyone investing $US1 billion in the United States.
Recent major corporate donors include defence and aerospace firm Lockheed Martin, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Apple’s Tim Cook, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman.
The inauguration, which has been held on January 20 since 1937, requires the president to recite an oath to protect the Constitution and the Office of President.
Mr Trump has invited a diverse array of world leaders to his swearing-in, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Argentinian President Javier Milei has accepted the invitation, while Mr Xi will send a high-level envoy. Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will attend.
