Meta Donates $1 Million to Trump’s Inaugural Fund in Bid to Rebuild Relationship
Meta has confirmed a $1 million donation to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, marking a significant step in rebuilding ties between the tech giant and the incoming administration. The donation, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, comes shortly after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s private meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago two weeks ago.
This move signals a shift in Zuckerberg’s stance towards Trump, as the Meta CEO is reportedly seeking a more influential role in shaping the administration’s tech policies. This marks a dramatic change from 2021, when Meta imposed a ban on Trump’s accounts following the January 6th insurrection.
Zuckerberg had already been displaying signs of a closer relationship with Trump in recent months. In a summer interview, he praised Trump’s reaction to an attempted assassination, calling it “badass.” Zuckerberg remarked on Trump’s defiance after the incident, describing his defiant gesture as one of the most impressive things he had ever witnessed.
Other tech executives, including Apple’s Tim Cook, Google’s Sundar Pichai, and Amazon’s Andy Jassy, had also been reaching out to Trump leading up to the election, aiming to foster a connection with the then-presidential candidate amid a contentious race.
Trump, for his part, has been increasingly open about his favorable relations with major tech figures, even praising companies he had once criticized. This marks a reversal from his previous accusations against tech companies, including blaming them for his 2020 election loss. As recently as March, Trump had called Facebook an “enemy of the people,” leading to a decline in Meta’s stock value. He also made threats toward “election fraudsters,” referencing Zuckerberg in a post on his Truth Social platform.