“We Already Know Who You Are, DON’T DO IT! ZUCKERBUCKS, Be Careful!” Mark Zuckerberg Donates $1 Million to Trump Inaugural Fund
Donald Trump and Mark Zuckerberg (Images: Reuters)
Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Meta, has donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, a surprising move given the rocky relationship between the two. This donation, confirmed by The Wall Street Journal, has drawn attention, particularly as it follows years of contentious exchanges and political disagreements.
The contribution comes after Zuckerberg’s November visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, where he presented Meta’s latest innovation, Ray-Ban smart glasses, and even gifted a pair to Trump. This meeting marked a two-day effort by Zuckerberg and his team to repair their strained relationship, according to Daily Beast.
Zuckerberg and Trump’s interactions have been marked by inconsistency over the years. In 2019, Zuckerberg visited Trump at the White House, but tensions soon escalated following Facebook’s suspension of Trump’s account after the January 6 Capitol riots. In 2020, Trump accused Zuckerberg of influencing the election with a $400 million donation aimed at strengthening local election infrastructure during the pandemic.
Despite efforts to smooth things over, such as Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, hiring GOP strategist Brian Baker to reassure Republicans that the funds were non-partisan, Trump remained skeptical. In July 2024, Trump posted on Truth Social, threatening legal action against Zuckerberg, saying, “All I can say is that if I’m elected President, we will pursue Election Fraudsters at levels never seen before, and they will be sent to prison for long periods of time. We already know who you are. DON’T DO IT! ZUCKERBUCKS, be careful!”
The $1 million donation, though smaller than Elon Musk’s $250 million support for Trump’s reelection campaign, signals a possible thaw in their relationship. Trump’s softened stance was visible in October when he spoke favorably about Zuckerberg during a podcast interview.
The donation secures tickets for Zuckerberg to attend several inaugural events between January 17 and 20, where Trump, his wife Melania, Vice President-elect JD Vance, and others will be in attendance. However, it remains unclear whether Zuckerberg or any Meta officials will participate in these events.
Critics have raised concerns about the timing of the donation, especially in light of Meta’s controversial decision to scale back its election misinformation monitoring during the 2024 campaign, sparking questions about the company’s political influence.
