Ford is latest company to kick in cash for President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration
Another American-based big-leaguer is kicking in cash to incoming President-elect Donald Trump's January inaugural fund.
Ford Motor Co., headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, will donate $1 million as well as a fleet of vehicles for the festivities, a spokesperson confirmed to Paste BN Monday.
Earlier this month, Ford CEO Jim Farley told reporters his leadership team is carefully watching for policy changes in Washington but isn’t panicked about Trump returning to the presidency, The Detroit Free Press, part of the Paste BN Network reported.
It was not immediately known what vehicles Ford plans to donate to the Jan. 20 inauguration at the United States Capitol.
But during a press event at Michigan Central Station in Detroit, Farley said Ford expects changes in tariffs, emissions regulations and tax benefits for people who buy electric vehicles.
“After 120 years, we’re pretty experienced with policy change,” Farley said, adding nearly 14% of Ford’s November sales in the U.S. were hybrid or electric vehicles. “I think Ford is very well-positioned."
During past visits to Michigan, Trump has met with the company's executive chair Bill Ford Jr.
How many Ford vehicles are hybrid or electric?
Almost one out of five vehicles in Ford's lineup globally is now a hybrid or electric vehicle, Farley said earlier this month.
"What I’m excited about is working with the administration to make sure that we’re rewarded for our commitment to America and Michigan," he said. “Ford’s employment profile and importance in the U.S. economy and manufacturing, you can imagine the administration will be very interested in Ford’s point of view."
Who else has donated money to Trump's inauguration festivities?
Other companies including Jeff Bezos’ Amazon and social media giant Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, have donated millions to Trump’s inauguration.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg donated $1 million, Paste BN reported earlier this month. Zuckerberg has sought to repair his relationship with the incoming president and other Republican leaders over the last few months after he received backlash nearly four years ago for banning the former president on Meta’s platforms following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Billionaire Bezos said he would also give $1 million, according to multiple reports.
It was not immediately known how much Trump has raised for his upcoming inauguration, but Reuters reported he raised a record $106.7 million for his 2017 launch while President Joe Biden raised more than $61 million for his 2021 inauguration fund.
Contributing: Reuters, Paste BN reporter Karissa Waddick and Phoebe Wall Howard, special to the Detroit Free Press
(This story was updated to correct the spelling of Mark Zuckerberg's name and to correct typos.)
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for Paste BN. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.