At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit on November 16, 2023, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai highlighted Google’s recent $1 million donation to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund. This marks Google’s efforts to foster goodwill with the forthcoming administration, echoing similar moves by other major tech companies. Karan Bhatia, Google’s global head of government affairs, affirmed the company’s support for the 2025 inauguration by facilitating a livestream on YouTube and providing a direct link on its homepage. Notably, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Meta also announced contributions of $1 million each to the inauguration fund late in the previous year, while Amazon and Apple CEO Tim Cook are said to have made donations as well. Following a presidential election, an inaugural committee is set up to manage the organization and financing of inauguration events, allowing unlimited contributions from individuals and corporations. Google has a history of donating to inaugural events and continues its tradition by including promotional activities like the livestream and homepage link for the upcoming inauguration. This strategic engagement illustrates the tech sector’s approach to aligning with political transitions.
