Amazon, Meta donating $1M each to Trump inauguration as Big Tech seeks better ties

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Meta (NASDAQ:META) are donating $1M each to Donald Trump’s inauguration fund, according to multiple media reports, as Big Tech seeks to improve ties with the president-elect.

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) will also air the January 20 event on Prime Video, which represents a separate in-kind donation worth another $1M.

Meta’s (NASDAQ:META) donation followed its CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s private meeting with Trump at the Mar-a-Lago resort, while Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) founder Jeff Bezos will meet Trump next week.

The donations come as Trump has repeatedly pledged to end Big Tech censorship and protect free speech. Big Tech companies are also currently facing several antitrust lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny over AI deals.

Recall that Bezos, who owns The Washington Post, blocked the newspaper from endorsing any candidate during the presidential election to avoid “a perception of bias.” During his first term, Trump had criticized Bezos’ ownership of the newspaper and its coverage of his administration.

At a recent event, Bezos said he’s “very optimistic” about the Trump’s second term. “He seems to have a lot of energy around reducing regulation, and if I can help him do that, I am going to help him,” he said at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit.

Zuckerberg committed to remain neutral this election cycle. This made Trump soften his stance on the tech leader after years of accusing Meta (NASDAQ:META) of censoring conservative views on its social media platforms.

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) had donated about $58,000 to Trump’s 2017 inaugural fund, while Meta (NASDAQ:META) reportedly did not donate back then.

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