Frenemies Musk and Bezos Play Nice at Trump’s Candlelight Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 19: (L-R) Elon Musk, Ivanka Trump, and Jeff Bezos speak to one another at a candlelight dinner for U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at the National Building Museum on January 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump will be sworn in as the 47th U.S. president on January 20. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

Elon Musk and rival tech bro Jeff Bezos continued to try and patch things up Sunday night over a candlelight dinner alongside a gaggle of Trump loyalists ahead of the MAGA chief’s inauguration.

A slew of Trump allies attended the plush event at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., and a group of his most powerful friends were spotted chatting amicably before taking their seats. Fresh from trading compliments and Stepbrothers memes on X after the latter finally launched a rocket into space, Musk and Bezos shook hands and tried to put hostilities behind them.

Bezos also has a history of fights with the Trumps, of course, but the billionaire is now desperately trying to ingratiate himself with the incoming administration. In the midst of the high-powered gaggle, the Amazon founder’s wife, Lauren Sanchez, stooped in to hug Ivanka Trump more than once, presumably admiring her custom Oscar de la Renta dress.

Her husband, businessman Jared Kushner, saw all of the backslapping and ran over to get involved, as Neuralink director Shivon Zilis got considerable airtime with a beaming Bezos, too.

ADVERTISEMENT

JD Vance was there also, of course, with his wife Usha. Although, they were conspicuously absent from this particular billionaire love in. Also at the bash were Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Bettina Anderson, despite reports that his father is not sold on the former party girl.

“It’s been a very big day and tomorrow’s going to be an even bigger day,” the President-elect said on stage, addressing the crowd on the eve of what he called “one of the most important days in the history of our country.”

He tried to rouse the crowd by rolling out his slogan “make America great again,” before promising to sign around 100 executive orders on his first day as president. He also said he intends to tap into the “liquid gold beneath our feet,” promising to “drill baby drill.”

The gaggle of Trump loyalists enjoy the party atmosphere. / Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images
The gaggle of Trump loyalists enjoy the party atmosphere. / Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

“We will not waste a single moment in delivering on our promises to the people,” he added. The Daily Mail reported that Trump also slammed the the Biden administration for characterizing his first term in office as a failure, awkward considering the two men will reportedly share a limo to the Capitol for Trump’s swearing in. Trump’s team also joked about a White House “EVICTION NOTE” for Biden on X.

Earlier Sunday at his Make America Great Again Victory Rally, he spoke about the executive orders, immigration, TikTok, the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal as well as the Los Angeles wildfires. Musk also awkwardly spoke on stage at the campaign-style rally in front of an estimated 20,000 people, while the Village People performed the adopted Trump hit Y.M.C.A.