Meta Platforms Inc., the social media giant led by Mark Zuckerberg, has made a significant donation to the America First Policy Institute, a non-profit organization founded by former Trump administration officials. According to publicly available records, Meta donated $1 million to the institute in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The America First Policy Institute is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that aims to promote conservative policies and values. The institute was founded in 2021 by a group of former Trump administration officials, including Brooke Rollins, the former director of the Domestic Policy Council, and Marc Short, the former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence.
The institute’s mission is to “promote and preserve the principles of the Trump administration” and to “develop and advocate for policies that advance the public interest.” The organization has focused on a range of issues, including tax reform, regulatory reform, and healthcare policy.
Meta’s donation to the America First Policy Institute is part of the company’s broader philanthropic efforts. In 2022, Meta donated over $100 million to non-profit organizations and charities around the world. The company has also pledged to donate $1 billion to non-profit organizations over the next three years.
Meta’s donation to the America First Policy Institute has sparked some controversy, with some critics accusing the company of supporting conservative causes. However, a spokesperson for Meta said that the donation was made in support of the institute’s mission to promote civic engagement and public policy discussion.
“Meta is committed to supporting organizations that promote civic engagement and public policy discussion,” the spokesperson said. “The America First Policy Institute is a non-partisan organization that shares our commitment to promoting civic engagement and public policy discussion, and we are proud to support their work.”
The donation is also seen as part of Meta’s efforts to rebuild its relationship with conservatives and Republicans. In recent years, the company has faced criticism from conservatives who accuse the platform of censoring their views and promoting liberal bias.
In response to these criticisms, Meta has taken steps to increase transparency and accountability on its platform. The company has also launched initiatives aimed at promoting civic engagement and public policy discussion, including a program to support fact-checking and media literacy.
The America First Policy Institute has welcomed Meta’s donation, saying that it will help the organization to promote its mission and values.
“We are grateful for Meta’s support of our mission to promote conservative policies and values,” said Brooke Rollins, the president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute. “This donation will help us to continue our work promoting civic engagement and public policy discussion, and we look forward to working with Meta to advance our shared goals.”
