In a surprising turn of events, a major tech leader has made a large donation to President-elect Trump’s inaugural fund, signaling a dramatic shift in tone from Silicon Valley toward the incoming administration. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has donated $1 million to President-elect Trump’s inaugural fund. The donation, reported by The Wall Street Journal, is seen as an effort by Zuckerberg to mend relations with Trump and the incoming Republican administration, which is set to control both the White House and Congress.
This contribution to the Presidential Inaugural Fund (PIF) — a private, non-profit entity that finances official inaugural events — highlights a major shift in Zuckerberg’s posture. The fund supports key ceremonies such as the swearing-in, inaugural parade, balls, and related festivities. Given Trump’s previous threats to rein in Big Tech for its interference in elections and perceived bias against conservatives, Zuckerberg’s donation comes across as a strategic attempt to avoid further scrutiny and regulation.
The relationship between Trump and Zuckerberg has been fraught, to say the least. During the 2020 election, Meta (then Facebook) faced intense backlash for censoring conservative voices and even de-platforming Trump himself. Zuckerberg’s financial support of progressive initiatives, including his controversial $400 million contribution to “election security” during the 2020 race, drew fierce criticism from Republicans who saw it as an attempt to tilt the playing field in favor of Democrats.
Zuckerberg’s about-face became more apparent after he met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago recently. While details of their conversation remain undisclosed, it’s clear the tech mogul is looking to smooth things over with the incoming administration. Facing potential Republican-led regulatory reforms, Zuckerberg seems to be hedging his bets and trying to curry favor with a President who has made no secret of his disdain for Big Tech’s political bias.
This donation also comes after Zuckerberg expressed unexpected admiration for Trump’s resilience following the assassination attempt earlier this year. In an interview with Bloomberg, Zuckerberg remarked, “Seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most badass things I’ve ever seen in my life.” He added, “On some level, as an American, it’s hard to not get kind of emotional about that spirit and that fight, and I think that’s why a lot of people like the guy.”
Zuckerberg’s pivot may be too little, too late for many conservatives, who haven’t forgotten Meta’s heavy-handed censorship. While this donation is a step toward reconciliation, it’s clear the tech titan is playing a careful game of political survival in a new era of Republican dominance. Whether Trump and his allies will be swayed by this gesture remains to be seen.
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