Meta Provides Trump with $1 Million for Inauguration, Kickstarting New Epoch of Flattery
This week, Facebook's parent company, Meta, revealed that it had contributed $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural fund. This money is used to fund the events taking place in celebration of the president-elect's inauguration day. It appears to be another move by the tech giant to win favor with a person who had previously suggested imprisoning its CEO for life.
Meta's generous donation is significant in the context of inaugural contributions. This generous act follows other conciliatory gestures from Mark Zuckerberg. In November, Zuckerberg dined with the President-elect at Mar-a-Lago, after which Meta stated that its CEO was "gratified by the invitation to dine with President Trump and to interact with members of his team about the new administration." Prior to the election, Zuckerberg had also spoken highly of Trump, praising his handling of an assassination attempt against him. Zuckerberg also presented Trump with a special gift – Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses.
Given Trump's repeated threats of imprisonment for Zuckerberg, it's not surprising that the CEO is being extra friendly. After all, Trump has consistently accused Zuckerberg of sabotaging his election chances during the 2020 presidential election. This year, Trump even co-authored a book in which he alleges that Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, were working against him. The book does not provide details of this supposed conspiracy, but it is believed to relate to Zuckerberg and Chan's large donations to election offices in 2020. Trump interprets these donations as having negatively impacted his election chances. The book states that if Zuckerberg ever breaks the law again, he will serve a life sentence in prison. Trump has often threatened imprisonment and legal action against Zuckerberg, primarily through posts on his Truth Social platform.
Meta's $1 million donation to Trump's inaugural fund is another attempt by the tech company to curry favor with the new president. This is a common practice among businesses when a new administration takes office.
While the official swearing-in ceremony is funded publicly, the celebratory events that follow, known as "inauguration events," rely on private donations. Many individuals and organizations contribute to the president's inaugural committee, with corporations, lobbyists, and political action committees usually providing the largest donations. These donations are seen as a way to gain influence with the new administration.
Rules regarding inaugural donations can vary from presidency to presidency. For instance, in 2009, President Obama banned corporate donations to his inaugural celebrations as a show of populist solidarity. However, he lifted this ban in 2012. A study found that 40% of Obama's 2013 inaugural funds came from special interest groups, with AT&T being the largest single donor.
Trump's 2016 inaugural committee raised a record $107 million, making it the largest inaugural donation in U.S. history. This was significantly more than Obama's 2013 inaugural donation, which was around $43 million, or his 2009 inaugural donation, which was $55 million. Companies such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Dow Chemical, Pfizer, Microsoft, and various private prison companies were among the largest donors to Trump's inauguration. Again, AT&T was the single largest contributor, donating $2 million.
Trump's first inauguration was not without controversy. In 2022, the Trump Organization and Trump's inaugural committee paid $750,000 to the District of Columbia to settle allegations of misuse of funds, as claimed by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine. Trump maintained that this payment was not an admission of guilt or responsibility.
The tech industry's influence in shaping the future is evident, and Meta's donation to Trump's inaugural fund is a testament to this. As technology continues to evolve, companies like Meta are increasingly realizing the importance of forging strong relationships with political leaders to shape policy decisions affecting their industries.
With a focus on advancements in technology, Meta's generous donation to Trump's inaugural fund underscores the tech giant's commitment to fostering a collaborative relationship with the administration, potentially paving the way for future collaborations in tech innovation.
