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These 3 Tech Giants Are Bending the Knee to Trump, and That's a Good Thing

Chris MacDonald

Published: January 21, 2025 3:13 pm

Last Updated: January 21, 2025 4:42 pm

With Inauguration Day in the books, investors in a range of top tech companies have watched how the management teams and CEOs of top companies reacted to a second term for Trump.

Many top CEOs of mega-cap tech companies have lined up to donate to Trump’s inauguration fund, and while these donations have sparked some controversy, many investors think that these token donations ($1 million each is really a microscopic portion of most of these CEO’s net worth) may pay off big time over the course of the next four years.

Key Points About This Article:

• Donald Trump is now the 47th president (and 45th, but who’s counting), and is garnering support from companies and CEOs many investors may not expect.
• Here are three top tech companies who are taking a more active role in the political arena with seven figure donations to Trump’s inauguration fund.
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As I write this, the list is growing in terms of which companies have pledged to donate to this fund or who have come to his inauguration. Here are three of the top tech companies burying the hatchet with the former president investors may want to watch moving forward for more than their political contributions.

Note, I’m not going to touch on Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) and Elon Musk’s $277 million investment in Trump’s campaign (and rather close ties). Rather, these are other companies that have stepped up after the fact to put some capital toward Trump’s administration I think are more intriguing.

Meta Platforms (META)

Perhaps the most intriguing $1 million contribution we saw come forward for Trump’s inauguration fund comes from Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META).

That’s right, the parent company of Facebook (which previous banned president Trump and many other high profile users for misinformation and disinformation in the past). The social media giant has looked to reshape its image among at least half the U.S. population, and is clearly pushing a much less progressive agenda than in the past.

Meta has recently announced some rather jaw-dropping changes to its social media platforms, including the removal of fact checkers within the U.S. Similar to Elon Musk-owned X (formerly Twitter), Zuckerberg has indicated he’s interested in free speech and playing less of a role in becoming an arbiter of what can and can’t be said on his platforms.

This recent policy shift is likely to cause some waves, so I’ll be watching Meta stock closely over the coming year to see what reaction, if any, the market has to these changes.

Alphabet (GOOG)

Google parent Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) was also among the tech companies contributing $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration fund. The company’s CEO Sundar Pachai was at the inauguration event, along with many other CEOs (including Jeff Bezos, who is next on this list) and has joined the party in terms of seven-figure contributions to this particular fund to welcome Trump to the White House.

It’s worth noting that Inaugural committees are appointed after a U.S. presidential win, and organize events such as ceremonies and parades to welcome a new administration to the White House. Alphabet has been a past donor, and the company has indicated that this contribution is in line with its previous practices, with Alphabet also putting up a YouTube livestream and homepage link for the event to generate awareness.

With free speech a central component of Trump’s campaign, and Alphabet’s YouTube platform one of the most-used media outlets for young men, this contribution could certainly align with the company’s hopes that Trump will provide a positive regulatory environment for this tech giant and its peers.

Amazon (AMZN)

Last, but certainly not least, I think it’s important to touch on Amazon’s (NASDAQ:AMZN) contribution, and that of its Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos, to Trump’s inaugural fund.

Like Alphabet, Amazon also went above and beyond the $1 million contribution to Trump’s fund, providing live stream services for this event.

Many analysts suggest that these contributions are aimed at securing goodwill with the incoming administration, especially given Trump’s history of favoring allies and retaliating against critics. Companies like Google and Meta are currently facing antitrust scrutiny, making their donations appear as strategic moves to mitigate potential regulatory backlash.

Some argue that supporting the inauguration is part of corporate civic duty, helping to foster a stable political environment. However, this perspective is complicated by the contentious nature of Trump’s presidency and the polarized political landscape.

Whether these donations are viewed positively or negatively largely depends on individual perspectives regarding corporate involvement in politics and the specific context of Trump’s administration. The substantial financial backing from tech giants reflects both an attempt to influence policy outcomes and navigate a complex political landscape.