What a $1M Donation Gets at the Inauguration

"Everybody wants to be my friend," President-elect Trump has said of his 2024 transition to the White House. Judging by the fast-growing list of companies making major donations to his inauguration festivities, it's hard to argue the point. On Tuesday, Toyota became the latest with a pledge of $1 million toward the Jan. 20 events, reports Reuters. Coverage:

• Auto giants: The Toyota pledge came one day after Ford and GM offered the same amount, reports UPI. The two American automakers also are donating vehicles, though Toyota is not.
• Auto worries: The auto industry is worried about how possible tariffs and a less favorable attitude toward electric vehicles will affect them in the coming years. GM chief Mary Barra and Ford CEO Jim Farley have both expressed optimism that Trump will listen to their concerns, per the Detroit Free Press.

• About-face: The Wall Street Journal is singling out companies making major donations after promising in the wake of the 2020 Capitol riot to withhold support from those who backed claims of a disputed election. The list includes Ford, Intuit, Toyota, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Goldman Sachs, GM, Bank of America, AT&T, and Stanley Black & Decker.
• A record: Tech giants Amazon and Meta have donated $1 million to the inauguration, as did OpenAI chief Sam Altman. All of the above is a big reason Trump's inauguration is expected to surpass the record $106 million raised for his 2017 bash, per USA Today. By contrast, President Biden raised $61 million in 2021.
• Access: So what does a $1 million donation get you? "Six tickets to a series of events in the days leading up to the inauguration, including a reception with cabinet appointees, a 'candlelight dinner' with Trump and Melania Trump and a black-tie ball," per the Journal.

(More President-elect Trump stories.)