Amazon has announced plans to donate $1 million in cash to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
A spokesperson confirmed to CNN on Thursday that the company will also make a $1 million in-kind contribution by streaming the event on its Amazon Video platform.
The decision underscores a significant shift in the relationship between Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Trump.
Bezos, who is expected to meet with the president-elect in person soon, has previously clashed with Trump over his ownership of The Washington Post and its critical coverage.
However, their interactions appear to have improved in recent months. Bezos notably praised Trump earlier this year following an assassination attempt, stating on X, “Our former President showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire tonight.”
Amazon is not the only tech giant seeking closer ties with the incoming administration. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, recently donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund. This came two weeks after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg met privately with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The gesture marks a significant reversal for Meta, which had banned Trump from its platforms following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Trump’s relationship with tech leaders has undergone a notable transformation. During his first campaign, he openly criticised Bezos, claiming in 2015 that “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!”
More recently, The Washington Post faced internal turmoil after Bezos decided against endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race. In an op-ed, Bezos defended the decision, arguing, “Presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election… What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias.” The move prompted resignations from members of the editorial board and widespread subscription cancellations.
According to CNN, Bezos has denied claims that his decision to withhold the endorsement was an attempt to curry favour with Trump. In the same op-ed, he asserted he had no prior knowledge of a recent meeting between Trump and executives from Blue Origin, Bezos’ space exploration company.
Meanwhile, Trump has also softened his tone toward other tech leaders, despite longstanding tensions. In a recent book, the president-elect issued a warning to Zuckerberg, stating, “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.”
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