Amazon and Meta pledged $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund. An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the donation, and Prime Video will stream the inauguration as part of its in-kind contribution.
Meta’s donation, however, stands out, as the company did not contribute to either Joe Biden’s 2020 inaugural fund or Trump’s 2016 fund. CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago to mend relations after years of tension, including Trump’s criticism of Facebook as “anti-Trump.”
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who owns the Washington Post, is also scheduled to meet with Trump. During his first term, Trump criticized the Post, particularly for its election coverage and decision to withhold endorsements in 2024.
Such corporate contributions are often seen as strategic moves to foster goodwill and influence discussions on policies affecting their industries, especially given past disagreements with the president-elect.
