Umair
Mark Zuckerberg, the Meta chief executive who has tried to keep a distance from politics, is warming to President-elect Donald J. Trump.
Mr. Zuckerberg is among several Big Tech executives who are expected to be front and center at Mr. Trump’s inauguration next week. He will be one of four hosts of a black-tie reception on Jan. 20, joining the longtime Republican donors Miriam Adelson and Todd Ricketts in hosting a party “celebrating the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance,” according to a copy of the invitation seen by The New York Times. The event was first reported by Puck.
Corporate leaders often argue that supporting an inauguration is a patriotic act that does not amount to political support for the president. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, declined to comment.
Mr. Zuckerberg rarely attaches his name to political events. He did not play a similar role at President Biden’s inauguration in 2020 or at Mr. Trump’s first inauguration, in 2016.
But he has undergone something of a political reinvention over the last year. He traveled to Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort last week. And has announced a series of changes at Meta since the election in November that have delighted advisers to Mr. Trump.
Mr. Zuckerberg is one of several tech-company leaders positioning themselves for a Republican administration that will have considerable influence over their industry.
Tim Cook, the chief executive of Apple, is expected to be seated on the dais at the inauguration alongside other major tech executives, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. NBC News reported on Tuesday that Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, would have a similarly high-profile perch. Bezos’ representatives did not return requests for comment.
And Elon Musk, Mr. Trump’s top supporter in the tech industry, is expected to be all over Washington as he prepares to play a big role in the administration.
Inauguration festivities have been such a hot ticket in corporate America that some companies and executives have donated to support Mr. Trump’s inaugural committee even without a guarantee that they can get seats.
Tripp Mickle and Karen Weise contributed reporting.
