In addition to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Meta has donated $1 million to Donald Trump’s inauguration fund. exert pressure to favor the newly elected President More than a month before assuming office.
The $1.6 trillion owner of Facebook and Instagram confirms donation to The Post The Wall Street Journal reported late Wednesday night. It marks a departure from past practice for Zuckerberg’s company, which has mostly stayed out of the presidential race.
A Meta spokesperson declined to comment further.
Last month, Zuckerberg Visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
The two men reportedly had dinner — during which Trump was gifted a pair of Ray Ban smart glasses by the tech mogul.
According to the Journal, before the dinner, Zuckerberg’s representatives informed Trump aides that Meta planned to donate $1 million to the inaugural fund.
Meta did not donate to Trump’s inaugural fund in 2017 — nor to outgoing President Joe Biden’s inaugural fund four years later, public records cited in the Journal show.
Zuckerberg, whose social media platforms banned the president-elect in the wake of the riot at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, has heated up his relationship with Trump in recent months by having at least two private phone conversations over the summer. There is a demand for re-establishment.
Facebook founder also publicly praised Trump After the July assassination attempt during which The newly elected President was seen pumping his fist In defiance with blood dripping from his face – A response that Zuckerberg called “badass.”
The warmth in relations has been studied compared to the last election cycle, when Trump campaigned. The idea of imprisoning Zuckerberg He and his wife Priscilla Chan then donated nearly $400 million to nonprofits designed to facilitate voting during the pandemic.
Trump and his supporters accused the Meta boss of using “Zuckerbucks” to help Democrats, but the tech mogul denied this.
Zuckerberg and Chan have tried to make inroads with Republicans by hiring GOP strategist Brian Baker, who was tasked with explaining their $400 million donation in 2020.
In August, Zuckerberg Told the House Judiciary Committee in a letter It was inappropriate for the Biden administration to pressure Facebook to censor COVID-19-related content.
Zuckerberg also promised GOP lawmakers that he would not make additional donations to boost election infrastructure.
“My goal is to remain neutral and not play a role one way or the other – or even appear to play a role,” Zuckerberg wrote.
The post sought comment from the Trump transition team.
Zuckerberg is one of many tech executives looking to make a good deal with Trump just weeks before his second term begins.
Last week, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, owner of The Washington Post, He said he was “very optimistic” about Trump’s second term. due to The incoming president’s pro-business, anti-regulation agenda.
Bezos, who has also been a Trump foil, Blocked the editorial board of his newspaper from a publication Support of Vice President Kamala Harris Less than two weeks before the election – a wave of resignations hits the newspaper There is also a wave of customer cancellations going on.
