The technology sector has become the central axis of the global economy, driving profound transformations in traditional industries and shaping new social dynamics. Recently, it was revealed that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman plan to donate $1 million each to Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, as tech executives line up to gain favor with the president-elect, just one month before he takes the oath of office for the second time.
Bezos and the e-commerce giant reportedly informed Trump’s aides earlier this week of their plans to contribute $1 million, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Similarly, Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, who is in a legal dispute with Trump’s prominent advisor Elon Musk, also plans to donate $1 million to the inaugural fund, according to a spokesperson for Altman speaking to Fox News Digital.
“President Trump will lead our country into the AI era, and I am eager to support his efforts to ensure the United States remains at the forefront,” Altman recently stated in a written declaration.
Earlier this month, The Journal reported that Altman, a registered Democrat, feared his strained relationship with Musk could disadvantage his company under a second Trump administration that will make key regulatory decisions likely to impact OpenAI.
According to the U.S. publication, Altman has been working to secure a position within Trump’s inner circle by reaching out to friends and associates connected to the president-elect and his advisors, including Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, venture capitalist Josh Kushner, and others.
Meanwhile, Bezos, who stepped down as Amazon CEO in 2021 but remains the company’s largest shareholder, is making the donation through the firm, The Journal reported.
Amazon will also live stream the inauguration on Prime, which counts as a separate in-kind donation valued at $1 million, according to the report. The company also streamed President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021, though Biden’s transition team declined donations from tech companies for its inaugural fund.
Bezos, owner of The Washington Post, which recently retracted an editorial endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris days before the November 5 election, is traveling to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump, a fierce critic of the tech magnate.
Last week, Bezos expressed optimism about Trump’s second term and showed enthusiasm for potential regulatory rollbacks in the coming years.
“I’m actually very optimistic this time,” Bezos said at The New York Times DealBook Summit in New York. “He seems to have a lot of energy around deregulation. If I can help with that, I will.”
“We have too many regulations in this country,” Bezos added.
Trump previously criticized Bezos and his businesses, including Amazon and The Washington Post, during his first term. In 2019, Amazon argued in court that Trump’s bias against the company hurt its chances of securing a $10 billion Pentagon contract. The Biden administration later pursued contracts with both Amazon and Microsoft.
Earlier this week, The Journal revealed that Meta, the tech giant led by another former Trump rival, Mark Zuckerberg, also contributed $1 million to the inaugural fund.
Zuckerberg, whom Trump once suggested should be jailed over a $400 million donation to a voting rights nonprofit in 2020, met with the president-elect last month at Mar-a-Lago. During the dinner, Zuckerberg, who has pledged neutrality in his political activities following Facebook’s handling of The Post’s 2020 reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop, gifted Trump a pair of Ray-Ban smart glasses, The Journal reported.
Bezos and Zuckerberg are not the only tech titans making efforts to align with Trump in recent months.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has managed to cultivate a positive relationship with Trump over the years. The two have maintained open communication through phone calls and meetings over meals.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai, whose company has also faced accusations of bias in favor of Democrats, is scheduled to meet with Trump on Thursday.
Salesforce co-founder and CEO Marc Benioff praised Trump after TIME, the magazine he owns, named the president-elect its “Person of the Year” for the second time.
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