Amazon has announced a $1 million donation to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, a move by major tech companies in the U.S. to signal their willingness to work with the new administration and seek realignment for mutually beneficial conditions.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, had earlier donated $1 million to the same cause. It was reported that he attended a private dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in November after the U.S. election as part of efforts to repair strained relations between the tech giant and the president-elect. This follows years of tension between Meta and Trump.
Similarly, Amazon offered an in-kind $1 million donation to Trump’s inaugural fund, which will be used to cover events and activities associated with the transition of a new president into office.
The package also includes a free live stream of the inauguration ceremony on its Prime Video service.
Jeff Bezos, the company’s CEO, was thought to have quietly backed Trump’s comeback after The Washington Post—owned by Bezos—broke its ten-year tradition of not endorsing a candidate in the November presidential election.
Donations from both billionaires to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration represent potential efforts to cultivate goodwill and establish a conducive relationship with the new administration.
More importantly, these donations also come with expectations of favorable treatment or policy alignment. They reflect a broader corporate strategy to engage with political leaders, regardless of prior differences or criticism.