Apple CEO Tim Cook plans to donate $1 million to President-elect Trump’s inaugural committee, according to a report.
Cook’s contribution, first reported by Axios, marks the latest deluge of cash from billionaires into Trump’s inauguration January 20.
Just weeks before the reported donation, Cook dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
Cook frequently met with Trump during his first term — and managed to build a personal relationship with Trump by calling and getting meals with the then-president, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The Apple CEO’s donation is part of a trend of wealthy business leaders and tech companies contributing to Trump’s second inaugural fund.
Citadel CEO Ken Griffin also intends to donate $1 million, according to Bloomberg.
Amazon, founded by Jeff Bezos, is expected to donate $1 million, the Journal reported. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is expected to make a personal donation of $1 million ,while Meta, run by billionaire CEO Mark Zuckerberg, donated the same amount to the inaugural fund, according to CNBC.
Car companies Toyota, Ford, and General Motors are also each reportedly donating $1 million to the fund.
The inaugural committee is projected to raise more than $150 million, breaking the previous fundraising record of $107 million inauguration, which was set at Trump’s first inauguration in 2017, ABC News reported.
“There is an absolute deluge of interest,” a Republican fundraiser told the outlet.
Trump, who according to Forbes boasts a net worth of roughly $6 billion, has surrounded himself with fellow billionaires as he is set to take office for a second time. Trump tapped Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, to co-head the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. The pair have become close in recent months — literally as Trump’s so-called “first buddy” has been staying at a cottage just several hundred feet from the main house of Mar-a-Lago for $2,000 per night.
In addition to Musk, Trump’s second White House will include biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, investment banker Howard Lutnick, wrestling magnate Linda McMahon and venture capitalist and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, all of whom are billionaires.
Their combined wealth exceeds $340 billion — larger than the gross domestic product of more than 11 dozen countries, according to The Independent’s analysis in November.
Since his re-election victory, Trump has met with a handful of billionaires in recent weeks at Mar-a-Lago, including Bezos and Zuckerberg. “EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE MY FRIEND!!!” Trump boasted on Truth Social after dining with Bezos in mid-December.
Last week, he appeared to be courting yet another: Bill Gates. In a bizarre Truth Social post that resembled a personal message to Musk, Trump suggested that the Microsoft co-founder had asked to visit his Palm Beach estate.
“Where are you? When are you coming to the ‘Center of the Universe,’ Mar-a-Lago,” Trump posted. Bill Gates asked to come, tonight. We miss you and x! New Year’s Eve is going to be AMAZING!!!” Trump wrote. He signed it “DJT.”
