Mark Zuckerberg's Meta has donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, CNN reported, citing confirmation from the company. The donation comes two weeks after the company's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, held a private meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the contribution.
Zuckerberg appears to be seeking a more influential role in the incoming administration, possibly involving contributions to shaping tech policy, the CNN report added.
This marks a significant shift from nearly four years ago when Meta banned Trump from its platforms following the January 6, 2021 insurrection.
On Wednesday, Donald Trump hosted a dinner with Mark Zuckerberg at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. According to a Meta representative, Zuckerberg met with Trump and his team during the visit. While the details of their discussion were not disclosed, the representative described the session as occurring at a pivotal moment for US innovation. They added that Zuckerberg did not stay for Thanksgiving.
Zuckerberg-Trump relations
Mark Zuckerberg and Donald Trump have had a fraught relationship over the years, which escalated after Facebook banned the then-president in January 2021 following the attack on the US Capitol.
{{/usCountry}}Mark Zuckerberg and Donald Trump have had a fraught relationship over the years, which escalated after Facebook banned the then-president in January 2021 following the attack on the US Capitol.
{{/usCountry}}Trump later hinted at the possibility of imprisoning Zuckerberg, accusing him of interfering in the 2020 election.
In early 2023, Meta reinstated Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. Following an attempted assassination on Trump in Pennsylvania in July, Zuckerberg told Bloomberg, “Seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most badass things I’ve ever seen in my life.”
This fall, Zuckerberg spoke to Trump by phone and later posted a congratulatory message after Trump won the election earlier this month.
When asked about the meeting between Trump and Zuckerberg on Wednesday, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said, “We do not comment on reports of private meetings that did or did not occur.” However, Stephen Miller, an adviser to the president-elect, confirmed to Fox News that the meeting had occurred.
(With Bloomberg inputs)