Despite the inauguration itself moving inside because of cold temperatures, MAGA-friendly celebrities are flooding Washington, D.C. on Monday for the second inauguration of Donald Trump as president of the United States.
The list of celebrities attending the inauguration is heavy on athletes and rappers, according to reports from Axios and NBC News, plus social media posts from Washington.
This post will be updated as more athletes, owners, and coaches appear at the inauguration. Trump was inaugurated as president for the second time shortly after noon Eastern on Monday.
Fighters
-Jake and Logan Paul
-Conor McGregor
-Jon Jones
-Jorge Masvidal
-Mike Tyson
Trump has long had deep ties to the combat sports world, particularly with Dana White’s UFC. All of the fighters on that list are longstanding Trump supporters, with Tyson endorsing Trump’s first run for president in 2016. Trump repeatedly defended Tyson after the boxer was convicted of rape in 1992.
McGregor and the Pauls appeared inside the Capitol rotunda Monday morning, with New York mayor Eric Adams taking a photo with the Paul brothers.
Podcaster and longtime UFC commentator Joe Rogan was a guest of Trump’s on Monday. McGregor and the Pauls watched the inauguration from an overflow room.
Executives
-Gianni Infantino (president of FIFA)
-Dana White (CEO of UFC)
Trump’s second administration will be tremendously consequential for international sports, with the U.S. hosting the men’s World Cup in 2026 and the Olympics in 2028. Infantino said Sunday that he would attend the inauguration, thanked Trump, and said, “We will not only make America great again, but also the entire world.”
Casey Wasserman, the ringleader of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, met with Trump on Wednesday as organizers plot a way forward from the devastating wildfires that have been burning the region.
Other Athletes
-Brian Urlacher (NFL)
-Noah Syndergaard (MLB)
-Antonio Brown (NFL)
-Evander Kane (NHL)
-Danica Patrick (racing)
-Wayne Gretzky (NHL)
The 33-year-old Kane is an Oilers forward recovering from several surgeries. The others are free agents or retired. Kane’s hockey career has been mired in several controversies, including gambling debts, a fake vaccine card, and several allegations of violence against women.
Trump has repeatedly mentioned in recent months the prospect of Gretzky running for “governor” of Canada, which Trump has joked about annexing.
Team Owners
Among the many owners who funded Trump’s campaign and inauguration, Miriam Adelson (Mavericks), Tilman Fertitta (Rockets), and Tom Ricketts (Cubs) are hosting a reception on Monday.
Adelson, one of Trump’s largest donors, was spotted in the Capitol shortly before the inauguration ceremony Monday; television cameras captured Jets owner Woody Johnson, who worked in Trump’s first administration, in attendance.
A spokesperson for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed to Front Office Sports that he donated to the inaugural committee. Most records of donors to the inauguration will be available later this spring.
– Margaret Fleming contributed reporting. This is a developing news story.
