Meta Platforms Donates to Trump's Inaugural Fund

(Reuters) – Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) has donated $1 million to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural fund, as confirmed by a spokesperson in an email to Reuters.

The Wall Street Journal, which first reported this news, noted that this donation marks a deviation from past practices by CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the company.

Zuckerberg had previously refrained from endorsing either Donald Trump or Joe Biden during the election season, which was highlighted in a media interview before Biden's withdrawal as the Democratic nominee in favor of Kamala Harris.

However, Zuckerberg did praise Trump's reaction to the July 13 assassination attempt, describing it as "one of the most badass things I've ever seen in my life," indicating his attempts to resonate with conservative audiences.

Reports from the New York Times indicate that Zuckerberg met with Trump after the elections in late November, which was perceived as an effort to foster a better relationship with the president-elect.

Post-2020 election, relations between Trump and Zuckerberg have been strained. Trump accused Meta of suppressing content detrimental to Biden in the prior election and criticized Zuckerberg's contributions for election infrastructure.

Following the January 2021 Capitol riots, Meta suspended Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts for approximately two years.