Meta Platforms has made a significant donation of $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, marking a notable shift in the company’s approach towards the incoming administration. This move reflects CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s efforts to improve and strengthen his relationship with the president-elect, following a contentious election cycle in which Trump had threatened to retaliate against Zuckerberg if he interfered in the election.
The donation, confirmed by Meta, deviates from the company’s past stance of staying out of political donations, particularly when it comes to presidential inauguration funds. This contribution underscores the balancing act faced by tech executives, whose companies have often been targets of criticism from Trump and other Republicans, while their workforces lean heavily to the left.
As Republicans gain control of the White House and both houses of Congress, calls for greater regulation of the tech industry have intensified, prompting some technology executives to shift their tone towards the incoming administration. Notably, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, once a critic of Trump, congratulated him on X (formerly Twitter) for his political victory and expressed optimism about the future.
Zuckerberg’s efforts to build ties with the incoming administration have been ongoing for some time. In November, he attended a private dinner with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, which was part of a broader strategy to establish a stronger relationship. In addition, Meta’s senior policy executives, including Joel Kaplan and Kevin Martin, met with key figures in Trump’s transition team, including incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and senior advisers such as Stephen Miller and Vince Haley.
Zuckerberg also demonstrated Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses to Trump during a private session, presenting them as a gift to the president-elect. Prior to the dinner, Meta informed the inaugural fund of their intention to donate, signaling their support for the incoming administration.
While Zuckerberg has historically supported candidates from both major political parties, he has remained relatively neutral in presidential races, refraining from donations to Trump’s inaugural fund in 2017 and President Biden’s fund in 2021. However, the $1 million donation to Trump’s inaugural fund aligns with the company’s new efforts to foster goodwill with the incoming administration amidst shifting political dynamics.
