Meta Donates $1 Million to Trump Despite Tensions Over Social Media Bans
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has made a donation to former President Donald Trump’s political efforts, a move that comes after a dinner between Trump and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg at Mar-a-Lago in November.
While the donation is relatively small, it stands in contrast to actions taken during Trump’s first term, where his accounts were suspended following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Meta had banned Trump’s accounts over concerns about potential violence incited by his denial of Joe Biden’s election victory.
Although Trump’s social media accounts were reinstated in 2023, the former president continued to criticize Zuckerberg and Meta. In March, he referred to Meta as the “enemy of the people” and suggested that Zuckerberg should face legal consequences for alleged election interference.
However, Zuckerberg has since sought to rebuild ties with Trump. In addition to publicly praising Trump’s response to an assassination attempt, Zuckerberg called Trump to apologize for an erroneous fact-checking of his photos.
This effort reflects a broader trend among powerful tech executives and venture capitalists, who, after criticizing Trump in the past, are now working to forge stronger connections as he makes his return to the White House.
