Amazon to contribute $1 million to Trump’s inauguration, founder Bezos seeks stronger ties with President-elect

After Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon plans to contribute $1 million towards Donald Trump‘s inauguration, according to CNN’s source.
Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, is scheduled to meet Trump shortly, joining other technology leaders seeking to establish stronger ties with the incoming president, AP news reported.
Following the first assassination attempt in summer, Bezos and Trump communicated. Bezos offered public support, stating on X: “Our former President showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire tonight.”
Trump’s stance towards technology companies has shifted positively. He now discusses private meetings with industry leaders and commends organisations he previously held partially responsible for his 2020 election loss.
The donation was initially reported by The Wall Street Journal, as Bezos joins other technology sector leaders attempting to strengthen relations with the president-elect.
Meta announced a $1 million donation to the inaugural fund on Wednesday, following Mark Zuckerberg’s private meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. This marks a significant change from Meta’s previous position, having banned Trump from its platforms after the January 6, 2021, insurrection.
Previously, Trump had criticised Bezos regarding The Washington Post ownership and its coverage. In 2015, Trump tweeted: “If @amazon ever had to pay fair taxes, its stock would crash and it would crumble like a paper bag. The @washingtonpost scam is saving it!”
The Post faced controversy in late October when Bezos withdrew the newspaper’s presidential race endorsement for 2024.
Bezos explained in an op-ed: “Presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election. No undecided voters in Pennsylvania are going to say, ‘I’m going with Newspaper A’s endorsement.’ None. What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias. A perception of non-independence. Ending them is a principled decision, and it’s the right one.”
This decision caused significant upheaval at the newspaper, with editorial board resignations over not endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, subscription cancellations, and staff protests.
Trump also met with Blue Origin executives, another Bezos venture. In his op-ed, Bezos rejected claims about withholding endorsement to gain Trump’s favour, stating he was unaware of the meeting beforehand.
Trump’s relationship with Zuckerberg has been contentious. The president-elect issued a warning in his recent book: “We are watching him closely, and if he does anything illegal this time he will spend the rest of his life in prison — as will others who cheat in the 2024 Presidential Election.”