Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund. The move suggests an attempt by Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, to build a closer relationship with the incoming president. The company confirmed the donation on Wednesday to several media outlets, including CBS and the Wall Street Journal.
Zuckerberg previously dined with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in November. This meeting aimed to mend the strained relationship between Trump and Meta following the 2020 election. Trump had often criticized Zuckerberg and Facebook, calling the platform “anti-Trump” in 2017.
Notably, Meta did not make similar donations to President Joe Biden’s inaugural fund in 2020 or to Trump’s 2016 inaugural fund. Inauguration funds typically support events and activities for a new president’s swearing-in, though some view such donations as attempts to influence a new administration.
Trump & Zuckerberg’s Rocky History
Historically, the relationship between Trump and Zuckerberg has been tense. Facebook and Instagram suspended Trump’s accounts in 2021, alleging he praised the Capitol rioters on January 6. This move led Trump to brand Facebook an “enemy of the people” in March.
Trump also accused Meta of supporting laws that would force TikTok’s sale, claiming such actions would benefit Facebook unfairly. Zuckerberg, in a letter to Republican lawmakers, expressed regret for yielding to Biden administration pressure to “censor” content on Facebook and Instagram during the pandemic.
In his September book, Trump wrote that Zuckerberg would “spend the rest of his life in prison” if he interfered in the 2024 election. However, Trump’s stance toward Zuckerberg has since softened. In an October podcast, Trump praised Zuckerberg for “staying out of the election” and thanked him for a supportive phone call after an assassination attempt on Trump.
Despite these developments, Zuckerberg’s relationship with Trump remains distant compared to Trump’s ties with Elon Musk. The Tesla and X owner, often called Trump’s “First Buddy,” has made significant donations to Trump’s campaign. As a result, Musk was appointed head of the new Department of Government Efficiency (Doge). While there were once rumors of a cage fight between Musk and Zuckerberg, this event now appears unlikely.