A Muslim cleric who has praised Iran and refused to call Hezbollah a terrorist organization was reportedly tapped to deliver a benediction at President-elect Trump’s inauguration. 

Husham Al-Husainy is a well-known Iraqi-American imam in Michigan, overseeing the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center in Dearborn. Al-Husainy was among a swath of Muslim voters in Michigan who indicated ahead of Election Day that they would support Trump instead of the Democratic Party's ticket in November.  

"I lean towards Mr. Trump because I found him closer to the Bible, the Torah, and the Quran. Because I support peace, no war," he said back in October, Fox News Digital reported at the time. He added that the country "deserves to have a strong leader where he can bring peace in this world."

Before he indicated support for the former and upcoming president, Al-Husainy reportedly made a series of questionable comments. A Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, the Middle East Media and Research Institute, for example, reported this week that the Muslim cleric praised Iran in a 2022 interview.

TRADITIONALLY DEM LEADERS IN KEY MICHIGAN VOTING BLOC DITCH HARRIS, ENDORSE TRUMP

"Thank God We Have the Islamic Republic of Iran; Its Light Goes to Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and All Over," he said in the interview, the nonprofit posted on X. 

The conservative nonprofit The Middle East Forum described the cleric as a "radical antisemitic, pro-Hezbollah Shia imam," who reportedly hosted a 2015 rally in Dearborn where he "wished death upon Saudi Arabia" amid the Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war. 

ABANDON BIDEN CAMPAIGN RELAUNCHES, TARGETS HARRIS IN KEY SWING STATES

In 2007, Al-Husainy joined Fox News’ Sean Hannity on the "Hannity & Colmes" program, where he was pressed on whether he considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The cleric joined the program following his invitation to the DNC’s winter meeting that year to deliver the invocation. 

"I'll ask you again. Is Hezbollah – this is a yes or no question. Is Hezbollah a terrorist organization? Yes or no?" Hannity asked the imam. 

"Now if – I give you a time to ask me a question. Now give me time to answer it, please," Al-Husainy said. 

"Yes or no?" Hannity continued. 

"First of all – first of all, Hezbollah is a Lebanese organization. And I've got nothing to do with that. But there is a biblical meaning of Hezbollah. It is in Judaism and Christianity and Islam meaning people of God and that means yes," the imam responded. 

WALZ PICK DOES LITTLE TO PERSUADE DEARBORN’S ANTI-BIDEN/HARRIS VOTERS

Later in the segment, Hannity again asked if Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. 

"​​This is – your idea of a political or… you know what Hezbollah means? I support the people of God," Al-Husainy said. 

The State Department has recognized Hezbollah as a terrorist organization since 1997. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump transition team regarding the invitation and Al-Husainy’s previous comments, but did not receive a reply. 

Matt Foldi, the former congressional candidate and current editor-in-chief of the Washington Reporter, shared a photo on X this week reportedly showing the official program of Inauguration Day, including that Al-Husainy, a Catholic priest, the Rev. Frank Mann, Rabbi Ari Berman and a Detroit pastor, Lorenzo Sewell, are slated to deliver benedictions. 

IMAM AL-HUSAINY REACTS TO DNC FLAP

Fox News Digital also attempted to reach Al-Husainy via the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center, but did not immediately receive a reply. 

Dearborn, Michigan, is home to the proportionally largest Muslim population in the U.S. and became the birthplace of the "Abandon Biden" movement last year as Arab voters spoke out about the administration’s handling of the conflict in Gaza. The movement morphed into "abandoning" Vice President Kamala Harris after Biden dropped out of the race in July, and ultimately endorsed Trump on Election Day. 

Muslim voters overall favored Harris by 32 percentage points in the 2024 election. Trump won 32% of their vote, while Harris won 63%. In 2020, Biden had won 64% of the Muslim vote, and Trump had won 35%. Trump faced mixed support from Muslim and Arab American voters, but in swing states like Michigan, their support became especially crucial. 

Arab American voters in Dearborn said following the election that they voted for Trump over Harris in protest of her stance on the Israel-Hamas war. 

"They didn’t vote for Trump because they believe Trump is the best candidate," Arab American News publisher Osama Siblani told Politico in November. "No, they voted for Trump because they want to punish the Democrats and Harris."

Fox News Digital's Michael Lee contributed to this report. 

Donald Trump will take the presidential oath of office on Monday in front of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., once again. The event takes place at noon ET and is expected to attract considerable attention from both supporters and opponents. How to stream Trump’s inauguration You can watch the inauguration live with cable or […]

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Government agencies are cautioning that President-elect Trump’s inauguration may attract violent extremists – especially those harboring "election-related grievances," according to a new report. 

While no specific credible threats have been identified, agencies like the FBI, Secret Service and Capitol Police authored a threat assessment asserting that extremists may view the inauguration as "their last opportunity to influence the election results through violence," Politico reports. 

The threat assessment identified foreign terrorists, domestic extremists or lone wolves who could pull off violent acts, including vehicle-ramming attacks, bomb hoaxes or swatting calls.

Likewise, law enforcement cited concerns about protests breaking into chaos, especially since certain groups who’ve faced arrests in previous protests have applied for demonstration permits. 

TRAVEL TIPS FOR ATTENDING PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP'S INAUGURATION AS EXPERTS WEIGH IN

"Past protests by some of these individuals have involved traffic blockades, trespassing, property destruction, and resisting arrest," the threat assessment said. 

Meanwhile, U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger cautioned Monday that "lone actors" are the most serious threat to inauguration festivities, during a press conference with federal and local law enforcement officials about the inauguration.

CHECK OUT TRUMP'S PICKS FOR TOP CABINET AND ADMINISTRATION POSITIONS

"The biggest threat, I think, for all of us remains the lone actor," Manger said. "Just in the past week, while President Carter was lying in state, we had two lone actors show up at the Capitol: one trying to bring in knives and a machete; another one who was trying – what I believe – to disrupt the proceedings by setting their car on fire down in the peace circle area." 

"Capitol Police were able to interdict these folks before they had a chance to do any harm," Manger said. "But that threat of the lone actor remains the biggest justification for us being at this heightened state of alert throughout the next week."

As a result, the inauguration will feature a beefed up law enforcement presence. Approximately 4,000 local law enforcement officers have volunteered to assist, and 7,800 National Guard soldiers will also be deployed. 

ABBOTT ORDERS FLAGS AT FULL-STAFF FOR TRUMP'S INAUGURATION DESPITE ONE MONTH ORDER TO HONOR CARTER

Matt McCool, the Secret Service’s special agent in charge of the agency’s Washington field office, said that altogether roughly 25,000 law enforcement officers will be working. McCool said this year’s inauguration plan features a "slightly more robust security plan," in comparison to President Biden’s inauguration in 2021. 

"What I can tell you is that we are 100% confident in the plan that we have put in place for this inauguration that the public and our protectees will be safe," McCool said.

Additionally, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said it is bracing for 12 separate First Amendment demonstrations at the inauguration, noting that they will have a right to peacefully protest. Still, she said violence won’t be permitted.  

"I want to reiterate – as I always have – that violence, destruction and unlawful behavior will not be tolerated," Smith said Monday. "Offenders will face swift and decisive consequences."

Fox News Digital’s Alec Schemmel contributed to this report. 

Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who was tapped to lead the Department of State under the second Trump administration, was repeatedly interrupted by protesters during his Senate hearing on Wednesday. 

One female protester was heard shouting at Rubio in Spanish, while at least two men, including one wearing pink, were seen being pulled out of the hearing by Capitol Police after shouting. 

"I get bilingual protesters," Rubio quipped after a protester yelled at him in Spanish, earning laughter from the crowd.

Ahead of the hearing kicking off on Wednesday morning, Fox News Digital spotted Code Pink protesters wearing bright pink with shirts reading, "hands of Iran," and "stop killing the children of Gaza." They also sported anti-Rubio stickers on their headbands and hats.

HEGSETH INTERRUPTED BY MULTIPLE PROTESTERS DURING SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING

Protesters were warned by the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee ahead of the hearing kicking off to not disrupt proceedings, saying they will be removed from the hearing and won't be permitted back to a public hearing for at least a year. 

TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM PETE HEGSETH'S SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING

PROTESTS ERUPT IN CHRIS WRIGHT'S CONFIRMATION HEARING

"Distractions will include not only noise, not only standing up, not only holding up painted hands, painted signs. None of that will be allowed. If you do that, I'm going to pause the committee. I'm going to ask our friends, first of all, my, my faithful, Sergeant at Arms here -- who's, perhaps, tougher than the Capitol Police. But also the Capitol Police to assist. And, we will pause briefly … If you are removed, you'll not be permitted back into one of these public hearings for at least 12 months. And, that's the purpose of this is, as I've stated, and it's important work," Republican Idaho Sen. James Risch, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in opening remarks. 

A handful of President-elect Donald Trump's picks for his cabinet are facing Senate hearings this week ahead of his inauguration on Monday. 

Department of Energy nominee Chris Wright's confirmation hearing was also interrupted by protesters on Wednesday, who shouted if his policies will "put out the fires in LA."

Protesters also interrupted Pete Hegseth's senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, when he joined the Senate Armed Services Committee, when he was grilled by lawmakers ahead of a committee vote and final confirmation vote on his nomination as secretary of Defense. 

JD VANCE SPELLS OUT WHAT TRUMP'S PROCESS TO 'RECTIFY' 'UNFAIR' JAN 6 PROSECUTIONS COULD LOOK LIKE

"Veterans are committing suicide and are homeless, but we send money to bomb children in Gaza," one female protester wearing fatigues shouted as she was escorted from the hearing, Fox News Digital video shows. 

An elderly man who was handcuffed with zipties was also seen being escorted out of the hearing. Another man, also appearing to wear fatigues, was seen being carried out by Capitol Police. 

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., asked Hegseth about the protesters during his hearing, including regarding the war in Israel that has been ongoing since 2023. 

"Another protester, and I think this one was a member of Code Pink, which, by the way, is a Chinese communist front group these days, said that you support Israel's war in Gaza. I support Israel's existential war in Gaza. I assume, like me and President Trump, you support that war as well," Cotton said. 

"I support Israel destroying and killing every last member of Hamas," Hegseth responded. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson announced on Tuesday that flags at the U.S. Capitol will be raised to full-staff next Monday, Jan. 20, to mark President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.

The move comes despite the official order by President Biden after the Dec. 29 death of former President Jimmy Carter that flags across the country would fly at half-staff for a 30-day mourning period.

"On January 20th, the flags at the Capitol will fly at full-staff to celebrate our country coming together behind the inauguration of our 47th President, Donald Trump. The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring President Jimmy Carter," Johnson said in a statement.

THIS REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR SAYS FLAGS WILL FLY FULL STAFF ON TRUMP INAUGURATION IN HIS STATE

Johnson is a strong supporter of Trump, and the president-elect's recent backing of him helped Johnson diffuse opposition by some far-right Republicans to his re-election as speaker in the new Congress. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE TRUMP TRANSITION AND INAUGURATION

According to the U.S. flag code, U.S. flags are flown at half-staff for a 30-day period to mark the passing of a current or former president, at federal government buildings, military installations and vessels and at U.S. embassies and other facilities around the world.

Trump earlier this month claimed on social media that "Democrats are all ‘giddy’" about flags being flown at half-staff during his inauguration.

"Nobody wants to see this," Trump argued. "No American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

CHECK OUT TRUMP'S PICKS FOR TOP CABINET AND ADMINISTRATION POSITIONS

The U.S. flag code is not mandatory, which means that Trump could technically override it once he is inaugurated as president.

The Associated Press observed that a flag at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, was flying at full height on Monday.

The flag had been flying at half-staff but was raised in the days after Carter's funeral service at National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and burial in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, both of which took place on Thursday.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday announced that flags at the state Capitol building in Austin and at all state office buildings would also be raised to full-staff next Monday to mark Trump's inauguration.

Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report

• Donald Trump is set to be sworn in as the next president of the United States on January 20.
• Carrie Underwood and Village People have confirmed they will be performing at the event.
• Toby Keith and 3 Doors Down played at Trump's first inauguration in 2017.

President-elect Donald Trump is set to be inaugurated on January 20, and his team has enlisted the help of some celebrity acts for the ceremony and related events.

The events are slated to run for four days, starting on January 18. The inauguration has drawn donations from companies including Google, Amazon, and Meta.

Here's a look at the celebrities who have confirmed they will be performing, as well as those who played during his first inauguration in 2017.

A representative for the inaugural committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

Carrie Underwood

"I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event," Carrie Underwood said in a statement to Business Insider on Tuesday. "I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future."

Underwood is set to perform "America the Beautiful" at the inauguration ceremony, a Presidential Inaugural Committee spokesperson told USA Today.

The "American Idol" alum has largely tried to stay out of politics throughout her career.

"I feel like more people try to pin me places politically," Underwood told The Guardian in 2019. "I try to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins. It's crazy. Everybody tries to sum everything up and put a bow on it, like it's black and white. And it's not like that."

Village People

On Monday, Village People, the '70s disco band known for hits like "Y.M.C.A." and "Macho Man," announced on its official Facebook page that it would be performing at "various events as part of the 2025 Inauguration of Donald J. Trump."

"We know this wont make some of you happy to hear however we believe that music is to be performed without regard to politics," the group's post read. "Our song Y.M.C.A. is a global anthem that hopefully helps bring the country together after a tumultuous and divided campaign where our preferred candidate lost."

The official website for the Inaugural-Eve Ball, which is set to take place on January 19, features a photo of the group under a banner that says "Confirmed Performances."

The band's decision to perform at the inauguration events is a reversal of its stance from two years ago.

In 2023, the band's manager sent a cease-and-desist letter to Trump's lawyer, requesting that Trump stop using Village People's music and likeness at his events, following an "unauthorized" performance by a cover band at Mar-a-Lago.

"The performance has, and continues to cause, public confusion as to why Village People would even engage in such a performance," Karen Willis, the band's manager and wife of lead singer Victor Willis, wrote in the letter. "We did not."

A representative for Village People did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.

Celebrities who performed at Trump's 2017 inauguration

Some A-listers have declined to perform at previous Trump events. Elton John and David Foster were among the celebrities who publicly declined to perform at Trump's inauguration in 2017.

The "Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration" concert in 2017, held a day before Trump was sworn in as the 45th president, included performances by country star Toby Keith and rock band 3 Doors Down, among others.

Artists, including Neil Young and Rihanna, have also spoken out against their music being played at Trump events.

"Lone actors" pose the greatest threat to safety during the upcoming presidential inauguration events, according to U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger. 

He referenced two incidents last week on Capitol Hill where people sought to "disrupt" congressional proceedings with potentially violent tactics. 

An estimated 250,000 ticketed guests will attend the formal inauguration on Jan. 20, according to law enforcement.

That will be supplemented by another 25,000, who law enforcement expect will attend various demonstrations going on around the Capitol on Inauguration Day. The inauguration and its accompanying events have been designated a "National Special Security Event," the highest federal protective status an event can receive, authorities said. 

"The biggest threat, I think, for all of us remains the lone actor," Manger said Monday. "Just in the past week, while President Carter was lying in state, we had two lone actors show up at the Capitol: one trying to bring in knives and a machete; another one who was trying – what I believe – to disrupt the proceedings by setting their car on fire down in the peace circle area." 

"Capitol Police were able to interdict these folks before they had a chance to do any harm. But that threat of the lone actor remains the biggest justification for us being at this heightened state of alert throughout the next week." 

TRAVEL TIPS FOR ATTENDING PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP'S INAUGURATION AS EXPERTS WEIGH IN

Manger's remarks came during a Monday press conference with federal and local law enforcement officials, including leaders from the Metropolitan Police Department, the Secret Service, the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police, during which they discussed their preparation for the inauguration. 

Representing the FBI was the assistant director in charge of the agency's Washington field office, David Sundberg, who said the FBI was "not currently tracking any specific or credible threats to the inaugural ceremony or to the Capitol complex."

The upcoming week of events will be secured similarly to the two high-profile National Special Security Events from last week, the presidential election certification and the late President Jimmy Carter's funeral, authorities indicated. However, the inauguration will get a little extra support from roughly 4,000 local law enforcement officers who have volunteered to help and an estimated 7,800 National Guard soldiers who will deploy to the nation's capital. In total, according to the Secret Service's special agent in charge of the agency's Washington field office, Matt McCool, a total of about 25,000 law enforcement officers will be on duty.

ABBOTT ORDERS FLAGS AT FULL-STAFF FOR TRUMP'S INAUGURATION DESPITE ONE MONTH ORDER TO HONOR CARTER

The inauguration will get extra concrete barriers and more than 30 miles of anti-scale fencing, which is more than has been used for any National Special Security Event in the past. 

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith said that the district is expecting to see 12 different First Amendment demonstrations during the inauguration. Smith said that while the "MPD will ensure your right to peacefully protest," they "will not tolerate any violence."  

"I want to reiterate – as I always have – that violence, destruction and unlawful behavior will not be tolerated," Smith said Monday. "Offenders will face swift and decisive consequences."

When asked by a reporter what the biggest difference was between this inauguration and the last in 2021, McCool said there is a "slightly more robust security plan."

"We've learned," McCool said. "This is our fifth NSSE this year in the Washington field office. We've done 83 NSSEs, each one we take a look at, and if there's areas where we need to improve, we do it. But what I can tell you is that we are 100% confident in the plan that we have put in place for this inauguration that the public and our protectees will be safe." 

FIRST ON FOX: Longtime Democrat fundraiser and Kamala Harris critic Lindy Li was named this month to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fundraising committee, an about-face that she says has been met with overwhelming support from donors, including from some longtime contributors to the Democratic Party vying to get a spot at the table.

Li’s appointment to the Trump fundraising committee was previewed exclusively to Fox News Digital. It comes just weeks after Li announced her decision to leave the Democratic Party last month, citing what she described as its broader culture of finger-pointing, vitriol and blame in the aftermath of the 2024 elections. 

Li herself endured a torrent of criticism and calls to exit the party after she criticized certain spending decisions made by Harris's campaign, despite having raised millions on its behalf and donating several Philadelphia-area buildings to the campaign. She in turn voiced concerns about party leadership "permitting no dissent, no criticism" and failing to learn from their wide losses in the House, Senate and presidential elections.

For Li, her departure from the DNC's national fundraising committee has been an eye-opening one. She told Fox News in an interview this week that she was approved as a member of Trump's inaugural fundraising committee just three days before many of the events reached capacity, forcing the committee to block access, if only for the near-term, in hopes of securing a bigger venue. 

When she told the donors that they were at capacity, she noted, some responded by doubling their offer in hopes of gaining access. 

DNC FUNDRAISER TAKES AIM AT ‘VINDICTIVE’ TORRENT OF CRITICISM OVER HEGSETH COMMENTS

"The demand has just been unprecedented," Li said of the response from donors. "Honestly, Biden and Harris never had this issue. They never had to turn people away."

Fox News Digital was told that donors offering as much as $1 million to the inaugural committee have been turned away due to space limitations, as first reported by the New York Times. Since then, the inaugural committee said they are working to find a bigger location for some of the events in order to meet the intense and growing demand.

To date, Trump's inaugural committee has raised a record-shattering $170 million in donations, with proceeds used to fund both the inauguration weekend and longer-term projects, such as a presidential library.

HARRIS CAMPAIGN STILL ASKING FOR DONATIONS WEEKS AFTER MASSIVE LOSS TO TRUMP

For donors, their contribution earns them access to an inauguration weekend agenda of highly exclusive VIP events before the Inauguration Day ceremony, including intimate dinners, black-tie galas and sit-downs with Cabinet nominees. It's an opportunity to make inroads and gain influence in an incoming administration. 

And ahead of Trump's second term, many are shelling out big-time to do so. 

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman are all among the tech executives who announced within the past month that they plan to donate at least $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund.

For Li, a prominent fundraiser whose experience is largely rooted in the Democrat world, pivoting to raising money for Trump's inauguration has been easier than expected. 

Li formerly served as a member of the DNC’s national fundraising committee, a membership that requires raising "millions of dollars" on behalf of Democrat candidates.  

Still, she said, the inaugural committee donations and enthusiasm surrounding them feels unprecedented.

"I've never seen anything like this," Li said in an interview of the funding raised, which could roughly triple the amount raised by Biden in 2021 and exceeds Trump's first inaugural committee, which raised roughly $117 million.

The committee is expecting donations to climb higher to upwards of $200 million, according to estimates shared with Fox News Digital. 

TRUMP ANNOUNCES NEW CABINET DEPUTIES AS INAUGURATION DATE DRAWS NEAR

Asked whether it was difficult to build out a base of Republican donors less than a month after leaving the Democratic Party, Li told Fox News that she is dealing with many of the same financial contributors.

"These are Democratic donors," she said. 

While Li noted they aren't among the most liberal Democrat donors she has worked with, "They're still donating," she said. 

"They're still so eager and willing to come to the table."

Many, she said, share in the belief that Trump has been "great for the business community" and hope to build on that in future conversations with the administration.

And even donors who have been wait-listed or turned down from attending the VIP events during the inaugural weekend due to the lack of space have expressed interest in working with the administration in the future.  

Just yesterday, she said, a donor noted, "'You know, even if we can't can't come this time, please let us know the next time that we can show our support.'"

The reception as a whole has been "overwhelmingly positive," Li said of the response from donors. "The enthusiasm is just through the stratosphere."

Vice President-elect JD Vance, a proud Ohio State alumnus, said back in August that this Buckeyes team might be "the best" he’s seen in some time. That will easily be settled when Ohio State takes on Notre Dame in the national championship game later this month, and Vance wants to be there to see it. 

There’s just one slight complication. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

President-elect Donald Trump and Vance will officially take office on Jan. 20 – the same day as the title game. 

"Hopefully everyone is cool with me skipping the inauguration so I can go to the national title game," Vance joked in a post on social media. 

JD VANCE BULLISH ON BUCKEYES' PROSPECTS FOR UPCOMING SEASON: 'MAYBE THE BEST OHIO STATE TEAM I'VE SEEN'

The former Ohio senator then posted a meme in response to his own post on X with his two options: "Attend your own inauguration" or "Go watch the Buckeyes win a national title."

The Buckeyes will have the chance to battle for the program’s first national title since 2014 after they defeated Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Thursday night. Meanwhile, Notre Dame, who defeated Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Wednesday, is on the hunt for its 12th overall title and its first since 1988. 

Vance will be rooting for his Buckeyes in Washington as Trump is sworn in to a second term in the White House. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

• Google is joining tech companies like Amazon and Meta in donating to Donald Trump's inauguration.
• The search giant said it is giving $1 million, more than triple what it gave Trump in 2017.
• In September, Trump threatened to prosecute Google if he was elected president.

Google said it is donating $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump's coming inauguration.

"Google is pleased to support the 2025 inauguration, with a livestream on YouTube and a direct link on our homepage. We're also donating to the inaugural committee," the company's global head of government affairs and public policy, Karan Bhatia, told CNBC.

Google's contribution, which will help fund the celebratory events after Trump takes office, is more than triple what it gave in 2017. The search giant donated $285,000 to Trump's first inauguration, per Federal Election Commission filings.

Back in September, Trump said in a Truth Social post that he would prosecute Google "at the maximum levels" if he won the election.

In his post, Trump accused Google of "illegally" using its system to display only "bad stories" about him while surfacing positive reports about his rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Google and Trump's transition team did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Trump's second inauguration, on January 20, has seen donations pour in from multiple companies and business leaders.

The president-elect has received contributions from tech companies like Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Uber. Like Google, all four companies have donated $1 million each.

That's on top of the personal donations made by tech executives like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. Both Altman and Khosrowshahi donated $1 million each as well.

"One of the big differences between the first term, in the first term, everybody was fighting me. In this term, everybody wants to be my friend," Trump said at a press conference in December.

"I don't know, my personality changed or something," he added.

Since winning the election in November, Trump has raised more than $200 million in donations, of which at least $150 million will go toward the inauguration, The New York Times reported on Saturday.

Trump raised $106.8 million for his first inauguration in 2017, per the FEC.

• Trump has raised millions from CEOs and businesses for his inauguration and presidential library.
• Apple CEO Tim Cook was the latest to contribute, Axios reported.
• The Times reported that Trump has raised over $200 million since winning a second term.

President-elect Donald Trump will take office in less than three weeks.

In the meantime, he continues to craft his policy agenda and make key appointments for his second administration.

He is also raking in substantial amounts of money.

From Meta and Coinbase to Ford and GM, businesses and CEOs are contributing large sums to Trump's inauguration and future presidential library as the president-elect prepares to enter the Oval Office for a second term.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is the latest to contribute $1 million of his own money to Trump's inaugural committee, according to Axios.

Trump has so far collected a total of at least $200 million, according to The New York Times, which spoke to sources involved in the fundraising. At least $150 million of that will go toward his inaugural, far more than the $107 million he raised for the event in 2017.

The super PAC Make America Great Again Inc. is also set to benefit from the cash infusion, giving Trump's allies a powerful vehicle to boost his conservative plans on everything from tax policy to the environment, as well as the GOP lawmakers who'll back his agenda.

David Tamasi, a Washington lobbyist, waved off the notion that donors were contributing to Trump to stay on his good side. However, he told the Times that some leaders may seek to build rapport after being detached from the president-elect's orbit.

"It is a time-honored DC tradition that corporations are enthusiastically embracing this cycle in all manners, largely because they were on the sidelines during previous Trump cycles," Tamasi said. "They no longer have to hedge their political bets."

There are virtually no limits to contributions for inaugural committees, and corporations have traditionally funded inaugurations regardless of the political party of the incoming commander in chief.

President Joe Biden's inaugural committee raised $63.8 million for his 2021 inauguration, according to FEC filings.

Trump's relationships with many top business leaders became rocky during his first term, namely in the aftermath of the August 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where white nationalist groups sparked violent clashes. The January 6, 2021 attack at the US Capitol, days before Trump left office, led several companies to pause financial contributions to GOP politicians who had voted to overturn the 2020 presidential results.

Even during the 2024 presidential campaign, some business leaders stayed out of the political fray, while others, like LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman and Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings, supported Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.

President-elect Donald Trump plans to hold what is being called a "victory rally" the day before he is sworn in to a second term in the White House, according to a sign-up page on his inaugural website.

Trump will headline the event, which is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. EST on Jan. 19, the day before his inauguration, at the Capitol One Arena in downtown Washington, D.C.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE TRUMP INAUGURATION

The arena, home to professional hockey's Washington Capitals and professional basketball's Washington Wizards, has a capacity of roughly 20,000 people.

TRUMP'S 2024 VICTORY SETS UP HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE FOR HOUSE REPUBLICANS IN 2026

The rally would be the first organized by Trump and his team since his victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in November's presidential election.

However, Trump did speak in front of thousands of conservative activists at a rally hosted by Turning Point USA on Dec. 22 in Arizona.

According to the sign-up page on the inauguration website, those seeking to attend the rally can only register for up to two tickets on a first come, first served basis.

Word of the inauguration eve rally was first reported by CBS News.

• Big Tech companies and CEOs are already lining up six-figure donations to Donald Trump's inauguration.
• Amazon, Sam Altman, and Meta are each prepared to donate $1 million.
• There are virtually no limits on inaugural donations, meaning Big Tech companies can cut massive checks.

Big Tech companies and the moguls behind them are preparing to make six-figure donations to President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural committee.

Jeff Bezos' Amazon, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Mark Zuckerberg's Meta have all been reported to have made or will make $1 million to the outfit tasked with planning and organizing Trump's triumphant return to power.

"The financing of inaugurations is really a cesspool when it comes to campaign financing," Craig Holman, a lobbyist for government watchdog Public Citizen, told Business Insider.

Holman said there are few, if any, limits to inaugural donations, and what makes them particularly appealing is that megadonors and CEOs don't have to worry about picking the loser.

"Unlike financing a campaign, when you don't know for sure who is going to win, here in the inauguration, you've got the winner," he said. "So corporations and other special interests just throw money at them at the feet of the president with the hope of currying favor."

Jeff Hauser, executive director of the Revolving Door Project, a public interest group, said donations to the inaugural committee are less likely to irk the opposition.

"They are frequently a mechanism for entities that sit out elections to get good with the incoming administration," he said.

Trump's 2017 inaugural set a record, raking in roughly $107 million. Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson donated $5 million, the largest single donation. AT&T gave just over $2 million. For many in Washington, it was a time to make nice with an incoming president that few thought would win the 2016 race.

This time, Trump's inaugural offers one final major opportunity for CEOs to curry influence with the president-elect at his peak.

Since he'll be term-limited, the next major fundraising opportunity likely won't come until Trump begins preparations for a presidential library (should that even occur). At that point, companies will have missed their window to make a final impression before mergers and acquisitions.

2017 Trump inaugural donors benefited greatly

Playing ball can have major benefits. OpenSecrets found in 2018 that "of the 63 federal contractors that donated to the inauguration, more than half won multimillion-dollar bids" from the federal government later on.

Foreign donors can't contribute to a president-elect's inaugural committee, and the committee must publicly disclose details about donations over $200 within 90 days of Inauguration Day. Otherwise, there are few limits on what individuals or corporations can give, and inaugural committees are not required to explain how they spend the money.

Some presidents, especially Obama in 2009, have imposed voluntary restrictions on donations. Obama refused to accept corporate donations or individual contributions over $50,000 for his historic first inauguration, though he later lifted those limits for his reelection celebration.

Hauser said donations will allow corporations to prepare for an especially transactional period.

"I think that corporations with an agenda in Trump's Washington, be it offense, like getting new contracts, or defense, like avoiding negative federal scrutiny, are going to spend millions of dollars in Washington to either make or protect billions in the real economy," Hauser said.

Tech companies are under the microscope.

Amazon, Google, and Meta have all faced antitrust concerns. Republican lawmakers have frequently grilled Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg over Facebook's decision to limit sharing the New York Post's initial report on Hunter Biden's laptop ahead of the 2020 election. Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, donated to help election officials during the COVID-19 pandemic, enraging some on the right, while Trump repeatedly lit into Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for The Washington Post's coverage of his first administration. Amazon sued the Trump administration after Microsoft was awarded a $10 billion cloud computing contract over them, alleging that Trump's animus for Bezos sunk their chances.

Bezos and Zuckerberg have since taken steps to repair their relationships with the Trump world. Zuckerberg has expressed regret over Facebook's decision to censor some posts about COVID-19. He also pledged not to donate to help election officials. Bezos intervened when The Post's editorial board was ready to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris.

Bezos also recently said Trump seemed "calmer than he was the first time and more settled."

"You've probably grown in the last eight years," Bezos said at The New York Times DealBook Summit in December. "He has, too."

Altman has been entangled in a legal battle with his OpenAI cofounder Elon Musk, who is set to be an influential figure in the Trump administration.

In a statement about his donation, Altman said, "President Trump will lead our country into the age of AI, and I am eager to support his efforts to ensure America stays ahead."

Representatives for Amazon, Meta, and Trump's inaugural did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

To get a taste of what may be in store, one only needs to look at what happened at President Joe Biden's inauguration.

A leaked fundraising memo showed that large donations netted individuals and organizations various perks, including opportunities to meet Biden, receive private briefings from top campaign officials, and "preferred viewing" for the virtual inauguration.

All of those benefits came amid pandemic precautions. Trump's party will have no such limits.

President-elect Trump took China by surprise when he invited President Xi Jinping to his upcoming inauguration, a friendly gesture ahead of a widely expected trade war. 

The move left everyone wondering what Trump was up to — a Chinese head of state has not attended a U.S. inauguration in all of history. 

Xi is not expected to accept the invitation, sources told CBS News. 

"We have a good relationship with China. I have a good relationship," Trump told CNBC on Friday. "We've been talking and discussing with President Xi some things."

But the invitation comes as the U.S. intelligence community disclosed a massive hack of eight U.S. telecom companies, finding that Chinese hackers had accessed the data of millions of Americans, including Vice President-elect JD Vance.

The hack, nicknamed Salt Typhoon and one of the most far-reaching in history, affected mostly people in the Washington, D.C., area, and was targeted at government-linked people. Information about their phone calls and texts was intercepted. 

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Meanwhile, a Chinese national was arrested on suspicion of flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force base in Northern California, the Department of Justice said Wednesday. 

"Many people were disappointed by this invitation," said China expert Gordon Chang.

"A man who is responsible for spreading COVID beyond China borders, for being behind the fentanyl program, which kills 70,000 Americans a year, that was not a good look for the United States," he went on. "And it betrayed weakness."

"The Chinese president looks at that and believes that Trump is not serious," said Chang. 

"Xi Jinping has made it clear that the United States is China's enemy. He's done that in many ways. And for an American president to show friendship is not a gesture in Xi's mind, it's a display of weakness, and Chinese leaders always take advantage of weakness." 

It's not clear if the invitation means that Trump is looking to take a more diplomatic approach to the relationship with China after a campaign marked by threats of hiking tariffs. 

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Trump has floated the idea of a 60% across-the-board levy on all goods imported from China, which would cover some $400 billion worth of products. 

Free trade supporters have worried this would break a top campaign promise for Trump: to rein in and prevent the record inflation figures seen under the Biden administration.

And the threat of a trade war comes as military tensions rise in the Indo-Pacific. China has been putting on displays of force in the waters off the shores of U.S. allies like the Philippines and Japan, and increasingly threatening Taiwan, an island democracy it views as its rightful territory. 

Defense experts have begun to muse whether the U.S. could find itself at war with China.

Lyle Goldstein, Director of Asia Engagement at Defense Priorities think tank, welcomed the news of the invitation, reading it as a sign of being willing to engage.

"Nothing like that has happened under the Biden administration," he said. "Trump is a dealmaker, and I think China is eager to make deals.

"The Biden approach was very ideological, you know, the world is black and white." 

"If we go into a new Cold War, the results, I think, will be devastating for both the United States and China," Goldstein added. "I think there is some understanding in the Trump team that the stakes are enormous here."

China, meanwhile, is considering devaluing its currency further in anticipation of Trump's tariffs, according to a Reuters report. 

"People have got to realize that trading with China generally is a good thing. But yeah, we have to. There are some key readjustments that need to take place," said Goldstein.

"I would like to see that take place from readjusting China's currency."

In the waning days of the Biden administration, President-elect Trump is bucking his predecessor's "don't" doctrine as a deterrent to foreign adversaries, instead issuing tough warnings before even taking office. 

"If the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity," Trump warned Hamas on his Truth Social account Monday. 

"Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East – But it’s all talk, and no action!" Trump added. 

War broke out in the Middle East on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel. Terrorists killed more than 1,100 people and kidnapped more than 200, with Hamas still holding 101 hostages, including seven Americans, in Gaza more than a year after the war began. 

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The White House and Israeli government have worked for months to secure a hostage release deal, but have been unsuccessful. 

Trump's tough language against Hamas, which included warning those responsible for holding the hostages that they "will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America," stands in stark contrast to President Biden's "don't" doctrine regarding the war in Israel. 

After the war began last year, Biden delivered remarks from Israel where he warned adversaries of Israel and the U.S. "don't" attack Israel. 

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"And my message to any state or any other hostile actor thinking about attacking Israel remains the same as it was a week ago: Don’t. Don’t. Don’t," he said. 

War continued despite the warning, including from Iranian proxies against Israel. 

This year, Biden doubled down on his warning of "don't" aimed at Iran. When asked by reporters about Iran's expectation to attack Israel in April, he said his message to Tehran is: "Don't." 

"We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed," he added. 

Again in August, Biden warned Iran against attacking Israel with the one-word threat.  

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Biden's common response to deter foreign adversaries from attacking Israel is viewed as a failed policy, with conservative security experts and others slamming the message as weak. 

"The Administration keeps saying 'don't' to Iran – but then does nothing to impose costs. This weakness means the risk from Iran continues to grow," former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted in August. 

"Well, he said, ‘Don’t’ multiple times, and ‘Don’t’ isn’t a national security policy," Pompeo added later in a comment to Fox News. "It’s not even a deterrent.

"So much for President Biden telling bad guys ‘Don’t’ actually being an effective deterrent. Every time he says 'Don’t,' they do," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., wrote in a post in April, after Iran launched more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel. 

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"Biden's approach with Iran and the Middle East is backwards," Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., wrote on X. "Now as we risk entering WWIII, the US must stand by Israel's commitment to democracy. The president must stand firm, and stop coddling Iran immediately."

"I guess Biden's speechwriters have him down to one word now. At least he can remember it. Worse when referring to the hospital carnage he calls Hamas the other team," Fox News' Greg Gutfeld quipped after the war in Israel broke out last year, mocking Biden's use of the word "don't." 

Trump had campaigned on ending the wars in both Ukraine and Israel, both of which began under the Biden administration, and claimed that neither war would have been launched if he had been president. 

"The Ukraine situation is so horrible, the Israeli situation is so horrible. We are going to get them solved very fast," Trump said on the campaign trail in January. 

Israeli officials celebrated Trump's tough stance against terrorists in the Middle East and his demand for hostages to be released by next month. 

"Thank you and bless you Mr. President-elect," President Isaac Herzog of Israel said in a post on social media. "We all pray for the moment we see our sisters and brothers back home!"

The nation's finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, added, "How refreshing it is to hear clear and morally sound statements that do not create a false equivalence or call for addressing ‘both sides.’ This is the way to bring back the hostages: by increasing the pressure and the costs for Hamas and its supporters, and defeating them, rather than giving in to their absurd demands."

Trump will be inaugurated as the nation's 47th president on Jan. 20, with his team celebrating that he's already following through on his campaign promises. 

"President Trump is working towards international peace. In anticipation of the incoming Trump administration, Iran has called off its reprisal attack on Israel and negotiations to end the war in Gaza and Russia's war in Ukraine have accelerated. One former NATO Supreme Allied Commander says America's enemies are 'concerned, they're nervous – [and] they ought to be,'" the Trump War Room said in an email this week titled "Promises Kept – And President Trump Hasn't Even Been Inaugurated Yet."