SEATTLE, USA – Amazon has committed to a $2 million contribution to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, marking a notable alignment between the tech giant and the incoming administration.
The donation includes $1 million in cash and a $1 million in-kind contribution by streaming the event on Amazon Video, the company confirmed Thursday.
The move comes as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and other tech leaders seek closer ties with Trump following a contentious history.
Bezos is expected to meet with Trump in the coming days, underscoring a broader effort among tech executives to build relationships with the president-elect.
Tech’s Changing Stance on Trump
Amazon’s contribution is the latest in a series of overtures from tech companies that have faced sharp criticism from Trump in the past.
Meta, formerly Facebook, recently confirmed a $1 million donation to the inaugural fund, following a private meeting between Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
This marks a dramatic shift in the relationship between tech leaders and Trump, particularly for Meta, which banned Trump from its platforms in the wake of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Trump’s interactions with tech giants have evolved significantly.
Once a vocal critic of Bezos and Amazon, Trump had accused the company of evading taxes and attacked Bezos’ ownership of The Washington Post.
“If @amazon ever had to pay fair taxes, its stock would crash and it would crumble like a paper bag,” Trump tweeted in 2015.
A Contentious History with Bezos
Bezos’ decision to withhold The Washington Post’s endorsement in the 2024 presidential election stirred controversy within the publication.
In an October op-ed, Bezos argued that presidential endorsements create a “perception of bias” and should end as a principled decision.
The move sparked internal dissent at the Post, leading to resignations from editorial board members, subscription cancellations, and public criticism from staff.
Critics accused Bezos of withholding the endorsement to curry favour with Trump, a claim Bezos denied.
In his op-ed, Bezos also addressed allegations of favouritism, asserting he had no prior knowledge of a meeting between Trump and executives from his space exploration company, Blue Origin.
Trump’s Evolving Relationship with Big Tech
Trump has also clashed with Zuckerberg over the years, including an implicit threat published in a book this year:
“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,” Trump wrote.
Yet, these tensions appear to be thawing.
Trump has recently touted his discussions with tech executives, highlighting their private conversations and signalling a shift toward cooperation.
A Broader Realignment
The tech sector’s pivot toward Trump reflects a pragmatic effort to navigate the political landscape as the president-elect prepares to take office.
Amazon’s contribution and Bezos’ upcoming meeting suggest that key players are seeking to forge new alliances, despite past conflicts.
As Trump moves closer to his inauguration, his ability to bridge gaps with former critics in Silicon Valley could set the tone for his administration’s approach to the tech industry — a sector he once accused of bias and manipulation.
For now, the donations and meetings point to a recalibration in the relationship between Big Tech and the incoming Trump administration, with both sides working to redefine their roles in a rapidly changing political and economic environment.
