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Real estate elite expected at Trump’s inauguration

Industry hopes are high as a who’s who of the biggest players will battle the bitter cold to support the incoming President

Charles Kushner, Miriam Adelson, president-elect Donald Trump, Steve Witkoff and Tilman Fertitta (Photo Illustration by Steven Dilakian for The Real Deal with Getty)
Charles Kushner, Miriam Adelson, president-elect Donald Trump, Steve Witkoff and Tilman Fertitta (Photo Illustration by Steven Dilakian for The Real Deal with Getty)

Former president Donald J. Trump will be sworn in Monday as the nation’s 47th president before a capital audience of former presidents, heads of state, tech and real estate billionaires.

Real estate investor Steve Witkoff, who played a role in the Gaza cease fire deal, is the chair of the inauguration.

The roster of confirmed attendees is a veritable who’s who in real estate and tech.

Names include Miriam Adelson, owner of the Las Vegas Sands casino, Tilman Fertitta, owner of Landry’s restaurants and the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casinos and developer Charles Kushner, father-in-law of Trump’s daughter, Ivanka.

Other familiar industry figures include Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, picked for Trump’s Commerce secretary, and private equity businessman Bill Pulte, tapped for Federal Housing Finance Agency director.

The vibe among real estate following Trump’s November win was generally positive, despite some trade groups supporting his opponent, Kamala Harris.

Despite Trump coming back to the White House with a Republican majority in both houses, some of his policies, as they pertain to taxes and deregulations, could prove difficult to get past the finish line. Nevertheless, hopes remain high.

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“In an era when so many industries face mounting regulations, President Trump will provide a rare breath of relief for real estate developers,” Jared Epstein, president of the developer Aurora Capital Associates, told The Real Deal in November. “His focus on streamlining federal regulations will allow us to bring visions to life faster and more affordably.”

Jeff Gural, chair of GFP Real Estate, said he hopes Trump will stick to his pledge on a SALT cap, even though he is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. Bess Freedman, CEO of Brown Harris Stevens and Harris voter, had similar thoughts.

“Forgetting the emotion of this, [and] wearing a business hat,” she said Trump’s experience in real estate could be a lift for the industry.

Real estate isn’t the only major industry anticipating the new administration, as major tech players have been cozying up to Trump. Three of the world’s richest men, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, who all have an appetite for real estate personally and professionally, will have prominent spots on the dais alongside the former Presidents, Trump’s family and Cabinet nominees, according to TIME.

Other Big Tech executives huddling among the hand-picked crowd will be Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple and Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber.

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