Amazon Contributes $1 Million to Trump’s Inaugural Fund

Amazon has announced a $1 million donation to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund. An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the contribution on Thursday, stating:

“Amazon is donating $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund.”

The company’s Prime Video service will also stream the inauguration, with the in-kind contribution valued at $1 million. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has also contributed $1 million to the fund, which is typically used to finance events and activities related to the presidential transition.

Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, recently dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in November, signaling an effort to repair relations between the tech giant and the president-elect. The relationship between the two has been fraught with tension, with Trump criticizing Facebook as “anti-Trump” in 2017. Meta’s decision to donate to Trump’s inaugural fund is notable, as the company did not make similar contributions to President Joe Biden’s 2020 fund or Trump’s 2016 fund.

Amazon’s founder and executive chairman, Jeff Bezos, is scheduled to meet with Trump next week, as confirmed by the president-elect during a CNBC interview. The meeting comes in the wake of Trump’s criticism of the Washington Post, owned by Bezos, over its coverage of his presidency. The publication refrained from endorsing any candidate in the November presidential election, a decision defended by Bezos, who argued that the media must work to bolster its credibility.

Trump’s 2017 inauguration fund raised a record $106.7 million, highlighting the scale of corporate contributions and support for such events.

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The contributions from Amazon and Meta reflect potential efforts to build goodwill with the incoming administration. Corporate donations to inaugural funds are a common practice, often seen as a way to support the democratic process while signaling openness to collaboration with new leadership.

Given past tensions, the donations might be a strategic move to improve rapport with the Trump administration. These contributions could also be interpreted as a bid to secure a role in policy discussions on key issues such as technology, e-commerce, and data privacy.

Overall, the donations underscore a broader corporate strategy to engage with political leadership, ensuring their interests are represented in policy-making while supporting the transition process.

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