Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has made a $1 million (€950,000) donation to US President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, the tech giant confirmed to various media outlets. The contribution follows years of a strained relationship between Trump and Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the donation, noting that Meta had not contributed to Trump’s 2017 inaugural fund nor to President Joe Biden’s 2021 fund. The funds will be used to support the events and activities marking Trump’s return to the White House.
The donation comes just weeks after a private meeting between Zuckerberg and Trump at Mar-a-Lago in November, signaling a potential shift in their previously fraught relationship. Meta had banned Trump from its platforms in the aftermath of the January 2021 Capitol riots, a move that Trump harshly criticized. In a book published in September, Trump even claimed that Zuckerberg would “spend the rest of his life in prison” if he attempted to meddle in the 2024 election.
Despite this rocky history, the two appear to have found some common ground in recent months. Zuckerberg, in a letter to Republican lawmakers in August, expressed regret over “government pressure” during the Biden administration, which he said led Meta to “censor” certain content on Facebook and Instagram during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adding to the intrigue, Zuckerberg publicly commended Trump during a podcast in July, following an assassination attempt against the president-elect. “His response to the attack was badass,” Zuckerberg remarked.
Trump’s reelection has drawn attention from other prominent tech figures as well. Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter), has been vocal in his support of Trump and is set to join the new administration by assisting with the launch of a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Meanwhile, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, despite past tensions with Trump, were among the first to congratulate him on his victory.
The complex relationship between Trump and Big Tech continues to evolve. In October, Trump revealed that Apple CEO Tim Cook had called him to discuss concerns over European Union-imposed financial penalties.
As Meta’s substantial donation draws scrutiny, questions remain about how this gesture will shape the company’s relationship with the Trump administration and the broader tech industry during his second term.
Meta’s $1 million donation to Trump’s inaugural fund marks a surprising turn in their turbulent relationship, sparking debate on the future of Big Tech under Trump’s leadership.
