Many of President-elect Donald Trump’s former implacable foes have started singing a new tune

Whether they are simply acknowledging political reality or aligning themselves with a new zeitgeist, many titans of tech and industry who backed Democrats in previous elections are now lining up to support Trump.

This appears to be the new tactic adopted by former foes of the president: butter him up, and he’ll butter your toast. Call it loyalty or egotism, Trump’s penchant for rewarding perceived allies may just be the ticket to former enemies getting favorable treatment by his administration.

“In the first term, everyone was fighting me. This time, everyone wants to be my friend. Maybe my personality changed, I don’t know.”

“They’ve come a long way, Meta.”

Trump has shown signs of softening under the outreach by Zuckerberg, Bezos, and the others, meeting with many of them at Mar-a-Lago and listening to their priorities.

What’s the prize:

Always a fan of a big bash, President Trump has watched approvingly as his inauguration coffers swelled to a record $200 million, eclipsing Biden’s $61 million. Will his legislative agenda be defeated by flattery? Is the president conscious of possible ulterior motives and his penchant for cronyism? That remains to be seen.

Here’s a sampling of executives lining up to migrate across Trump’s Mason-Dixon line.

META

How it started:

“The risks of allowing Trump to remain on the platform are simply too great.” —Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in January 2021, after suspending Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. Zuckerberg donated $400 million to fund election machines that Trump saw as a plot for voting fraud.

How it’s going:

“As an American, it’s hard to not get emotional about that spirit and fight.” —Zuckergerg in November 2024, after a post-election meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Meta donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund (donations to Biden’s: $0). Facebook removed its Fact Check function, and appointed key Trump ally Dana White to serve on its board.

What’s the prize:

Meta’s social media platforms have long been under scrutiny by Washington, with policymakers accusing it of harming children, fostering hate and division, and spreading misinformation. Zuckerberg has been hauled before Congress multiple times and publicly humiliated. Pressure is climbing for lawmakers to slap strict laws on the entire industry and hold companies liable for platform content. Anti-trust legislation is pending against the big tech companies, which, like Meta, have just survived lawsuits from the Federal Trade Commission.

Meta may hope it can rebrand itself as an ally to the Trump team, and influence it to preserve the freedoms and immunity it has enjoyed.