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Meta, the $1.6-trillion tech giant behind Facebook and Instagram, recently donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural fund. The move, first reported by The Wall Street Journal and later confirmed by Meta, marks a significant departure from the company's historical reluctance to engage in presidential politics.
While inauguration funds are ostensibly used to finance official events, critics argue they often serve as a tool to curry favor with incoming administrations. This donation is particularly striking given Meta's previous actions. The company did not contribute to Trump's inaugural fund in 2017 nor to President Joe Biden's in 2021. Public records suggest that this latest move reflects a deliberate attempt by CEO Mark Zuckerberg to rebuild bridges with Trump, with whom he has had a fraught relationship.
Notably, Zuckerberg and Trump met at Mar-a-Lago last month, where the Meta CEO reportedly gifted the president-elect a pair of Ray-Ban Smart Glasses. The tensions between Trump and Meta date back to 2021 when Facebook and Instagram banned Trump's accounts following the Capitol riots. Trump labeled Facebook an "enemy of the people" and accused Zuckerberg of bias during the 2020 election. Despite these accusations, Zuckerberg defended his platform's actions as neutral.
He later wrote to Congress expressing regret for bowing to government pressure on content moderation during the pandemic. Zuckerberg's latest move to improve relations with Trump has drawn both praise and skepticism. GOP strategist Brian Baker, hired by Meta to navigate Republican sentiments, highlighted the importance of "engaging with all political stakeholders." However, critics see the donation as opportunistic, given Trump's pro-business and anti-regulation stance, which could benefit Meta in the long term.
Trump's own tone toward Zuckerberg appears to have softened. He recently described the Meta CEO as "nice" for staying out of the 2024 election, even thanking him for a personal call after an assassination attempt in July. However, some observers note that Zuckerberg's overtures are less conciliatory than those of other tech leaders, such as Elon Musk, who has been dubbed Trump's "First Buddy" due to his significant campaign contributions.
As Trump prepares to assume office, Meta's strategic pivot underscores the balancing act tech companies face in navigating political affiliations while maintaining public trust. The implications of this donation could extend far beyond the inaugural events, influencing regulatory decisions in the years to come.
