Among the messages former U.S. President Biden chose to share with the American people during his final address as President was to warn of an “oligarchy taking shape” in the U.S.

And Biden’s warning was evident in the audience at Donald Trump’s inauguration yesterday.

Dalhousie University political scientist Lori Turnbull says yesterday’s inauguration was a marked departure from the first-time Trump was sworn-in as President.

“It seemed like many members of elite of the world, both in the U.S. and elsewhere, seemed to want to distance themselves from him and didn’t want to accept that he was the President and wanted nothing to do with him…but now, everybody’s showing up to kiss the ring.” That includes tech giants, “you’ve got to think about what that means” says Turnbull.

Turnbull says people are worried, and with good reason, about Trump’s tendency towards authoritarianism, “and looking at the willingness of tech giants to show up and cheer for him and they’re the ones who are standing behind him, moreso than anyone else. He has a propaganda machine, and a very intelligent one.” says Turnbull, “he has people who want to be involved in spreading his message and normalizing his message, and they think that’s good for them.”