Amazon will donate $1mn in cash to Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, the company confirmed on Thursday, as Big Tech companies seek to build relations with the US president-elect. Amazon’s move comes after Facebook and Instagram parent Meta similarly donated $1mn to the fund. Amazon will also broadcast Trump’s inauguration on its Prime Video service. Trump has long accused Big Tech companies of a litany of abuses, including censorship of conservative media.
Trump has tapped Musk to lead a group examining broad reforms of government bureaucracy. Apple’s hardware business is also potentially exposed to Trump’s sweeping tariff plans, which risk upsetting its critical China supply chains. During Trump’s first term, Cook managed to secure carve-outs for the company’s products. Trump clashed with Amazon during his first term, during which he accused the online retail giant of putting companies out of business and criticised its tax policy.