Meta Platforms Inc., parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, marking a significant shift in its relationship with the former president, Bloomberg reports.
While a relatively small sum, the donation is unprecedented for Meta, which made no such contribution to President Joe Biden’s inauguration or Trump’s first term. The move follows a November dinner between Trump and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg at Mar-a-Lago.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed the donation, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, but declined further comment. The contribution comes after a turbulent period in the relationship between Meta and Trump. During his first term, Trump heavily utilized Facebook and Instagram, until his accounts were suspended following the January 6th, 2021, Capitol riot. Meta cited concerns that Trump’s rhetoric posed a risk of inciting further violence, particularly his refusal to concede the 2020 election.
Trump’s accounts were reinstated in 2023, but his criticisms of Zuckerberg and Meta continued. In March, he labeled Meta the “enemy of the people” and later suggested Zuckerberg should face imprisonment for alleged election interference.
This recent donation signals a clear attempt by Zuckerberg to mend fences with the incoming administration. This effort includes a recent phone call to apologize for a fact-checking error involving images of Trump, and publicly praising Trump’s reaction to a near assassination attempt as “badass.”
Zuckerberg joins a growing number of influential figures in the tech and venture capital worlds who, after previously expressing strong opposition to Trump, are now actively seeking to cultivate closer relationships as he prepares for a second term.
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