Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has confirmed a $1 million donation to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, following a private meeting between Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida two weeks prior. The donation, reported by CNN and initially revealed by The Wall Street Journal, marks a notable shift in Zuckerberg’s relationship with the incoming administration.
The donation comes after years of tension between Zuckerberg and Trump, especially following Facebook’s decision to ban Trump from the platform after the January 6, 2021 insurrection. Despite this, Meta recently reinstated Trump’s accounts in early 2023, signaling a potential thaw in their relationship.
Zuckerberg’s recent meeting with Trump is seen as an effort to secure a more influential role in shaping tech policy under the new administration, although specifics of their conversation remain undisclosed. A Meta representative described the session as crucial to US innovation but emphasized that Zuckerberg did not stay for Thanksgiving celebrations.
This donation and meeting follow a year of public interactions between Zuckerberg and Trump, with Zuckerberg even expressing admiration for Trump’s resilience after a shooting incident. Trump, for his part, posted a photo of their handshake, though no details of their discussion were provided. While Trump’s spokesperson declined to comment on the private meeting, adviser Stephen Miller confirmed it took place.
