Apple CEO Tim Cook, Who Previously Backed Dems and LGBTQ+ Rights, Gives Trump's Inauguration $1M

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Apple CEO Tim Cook, one of the most influential gay men in tech, is personally forking over $1 million to Donald Trump's inaugural fund, according to a new report from Axios .

Unnamed sources reportedly told the outlet that Apple as a company is not expected to donate to Trump's inauguration. However, Cook "believes the inauguration is a great American tradition and is donating to the inauguration in the spirit of unity."

This isn't the first time that Cook has cozied up to the President-elect, who ran on campaign trail promises like banning gender-affirming care for minors at the federal level and enacting national "Don't Say Gay" policies in schools. According to a November Wall Street Journal article, the Apple CEO has spent years developing a personal relationship with Trump "through carefully choreographed dinners and meetings."

This approach has apparently led to a series of financial wins for Cook and Apple. In 2019, for instance, Cook successfully appealed to Trump after Apple faced a 10% tariff on all imports from China, where Apple still produces many of its products. Days after being personally lobbied by Cook, Trump granted a series of tariff exceptions for electronics, including the iPhone.

The President-elect publicly praised Cook's efforts in 2019 , saying, "That's why he's a great executive, because he calls me and others don't."

In 2014, Cook became the first and only CEO of a Fortune 500 company to come out as gay, sharing the news in a Bloomberg article .

"I'm proud to be gay," he wrote at the time. "And I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me… I will personally continue to advocate for equality for all people until my toes point up."

In 2015, Cook was honored at the Human Rights Campaign's annual HRC National Dinner. That same year, he penned a Washington Post op-ed speaking out against so-called religious freedom laws and personally called on Arkansas' governor to veto H.B. 1228, one such bill that would allow Arkansans to discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized people in the name of religious freedom.

In 2022, the Apple CEO expressed concern on X about the wave of anti-LGBTQ+ laws sweeping the United States, writing, "As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am deeply concerned about laws being enacted across the country, particularly those focused on our vulnerable youth." (Of course, legislation that targets LGBTQ+ youth is exactly what Trump has said he intends to make federal law .)

Cook has previously publicly backed Democrats as well, donating to Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign and later raising funds for Hillary Clinton's presidential 2016 campaign.

But as Edge Media Network noted, Cook was one of the first American CEOs to congratulate Trump on his 2024 presidential election victory.

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"Congratulations President Trump on your victory!" Cook wrote in a November 6 X post . "We look forward to engaging with you and your administration to help make sure the United States to lead with and be fueled by ingenuity, innovation, and creativity."

Cook is just one of many CEOs flocking to lend support to the incoming Trump administration in what some are calling "pay to play" for the president elect's influence, favor, and corporate tax relief. Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, and Sam Altman of OpenAI (also a gay CEO who previously supported Dems and even criticized Trump) have each donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund . In a foreboding era where capital interest plays an increasing role in government, the alleged flip-flopping of such CEOs signal what could be called a "corporatocracy."

Cook may have expressed concern for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, but he sidled up to a President-elect who has made anti-LGBTQ+ policy and rhetoric a foundation of his campaign. If this is what CEOs are up to before Trump is even in office, eyes remain on these companies to see what they'll do next in reaction to, or collaboration with, the president elect once he takes office.

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Originally Appeared on them.