Meta donated the money to Trump’s inauguration fund in what appears to be a push for positive relations after tensions in the past
Meta Platforms has donated $1 million to the inauguration fund of President-elect Donald Trump as part of a move by CEO Mark Zuckerberg to improve his historically tense relationship with the incoming president.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed the donation, which was initially reported by the Wall Street Journal.
The move marks a new departure for the tech giant, which did not make any such donation during the previous two presidencies.
Trump and Zuckerberg had dinner at the Mar-a-Lago resort last week. In a recent press call, Meta’s president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, said Zuckerberg wanted to take an “active role” in the US administration’s tech policy decisions. The CEO intends to engage in the debate around maintaining America’s leadership in technology, especially regarding artificial intelligence, Clegg said.
Meta owns Facebook and Instagram. Trump used these platforms extensively during his first term in office until his accounts were suspended following the January 6 riot at the US Capitol in 2021.
Meta banned his accounts due to concerns that he would incite further violence by denying Biden’s election victory.
Trump’s accounts were reinstated in 2023. However, Trump has continued to express frustration with Zuckerberg. In March, he referred to Meta as the “enemy of the people.” He later suggested that Zuckerberg should be jailed for alleged election interference.
In an attempt to mend fences, Zuckerberg has publicly reached out to Trump. He praised the president-elect’s reaction to an attempted assassination at a Pennsylvania rally in July as “badass.” Zuckerberg also called Trump this summer to apologize for incorrectly labeling photos of him with a fact check.
There are no limits on donations to Trump’s committee. It is structured as a political nonprofit for tax purposes. However, contributions over $200 must be disclosed to the Federal Election Commission. Trump’s first inauguration committee raised $107 million in 2016 and 2017.
