Tech CEOs Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman have donated $1 million each to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund. The donations come as the tech industry tries to smooth relations with Trump, who has been a vocal critic of particular companies.
Altman’s donation is notable given his heated legal battle with Elon Musk, who became one of Trump’s biggest backers and could have significant influence in the new administration. Meta CEO Zuckerberg also has a contentious history with Trump, while Bezos has faced repeated criticism from the president.
Trump has signaled plans to crack down on antitrust enforcement, with Gail Slater nominated to head the Department of Justice’s antitrust arm. The nomination has drawn praise from Trump but has sparked concerns among some tech executives, who fear increased regulation could harm innovation.
Some companies, like Apple and Google, have congratulated Trump following his victory, while others remain silent on their potential contributions to the inauguration fund. The situation highlights the complex relationships between Trump, top tech CEOs, and the AI industry.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/13/tech-companies-most-threatened-by-trump-donating-to-inauguration-fund.html