Following Meta’s lead, Amazon is planning to donate $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural fund.
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed on Thursday the e-commerce giant will also stream the inauguration on Prime Video.
Tech companies have been the target of intense criticism by Trump and his allies, and other tech leaders have hastened to smooth ties with him. [...]
Bezos and the company decided on the contribution earlier this week, and communicated it to Trump’s team, according to some of the people. “Bezos is donating through Amazon,” according to a person close to Bezos. Amazon also will stream the inauguration through its Prime Video business, a separate, in-kind donation valued at $1 million, another of the people said.
Amazon gave about $58,000 in cash and in-kind donations to Trump’s inauguration in 2017, when other tech companies donated larger amounts. Amazon was told by the Biden administration that it wasn’t accepting tech donations for the 2021 inauguration, according to a person familiar with the matter, although Amazon streamed the inauguration for President Biden. (WSJ)
On Thursday, Trump said he has a meeting next week with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who congratulated the president-elect on his electoral victory last month. As The Hill notes, The Washington Post owner did not do the same for Joe Biden in 2020.
“Big congratulations to our 45th and now 47th President on an extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory,” Bezos wrote. “No nation has bigger opportunities. Wishing [Trump] all success in leading and uniting the America we all love.”
Big congratulations to our 45th and now 47th President on an extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory. No nation has bigger opportunities. Wishing @realDonaldTrump all success in leading and uniting the America we all love.
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) November 6, 2024
Meta will also give $1 million to the Jan. 20 Trump inauguration, The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week.
