Spotify reportedly donated $150,000 to US President Donald Trump's Inauguration
Alongside the contribution, the streaming platform also held a brunch on the eve of the ceremony for political pundits such as Ben Shapiro and Tim Pool
Spotify reportedly donated $150,000 to US President Donald Trump's Inauguration fund.
In a statement to Swedish publication Dagens Nyheter, a spokesperson said the donation to the new president's Inauguration ceremony, which was held on Monday (20 January), was given with "aims to continue expanding [Spotify's] presence in Washington D.C."
"It is in line with the work we do in capitals around the world to promote our policy issues, regardless of who is in power," the statement added.
Alongside the donation, the music streaming service also held a celebratory brunch for on the eve of Trump's swearing-in on Sunday (January 19).
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According to Bloomberg, high-profile political pundits such as Daily Wire co-founder and right-wing pundit Ben Shapiro, conservative YouTuber Tim Pool and country star Riley Green were served "caviar", "crab claws" and "hamburgers off sticks".
Podcaster Joe Rogan reportedly was also invited to the event, but only attended the President's inauguration ceremony.
In a statement, Spotify said the event was held to "acknowledge the growing importance of the medium to US politics" and celebrate "the power of podcasts" in last year's US election.
“Spotify has long hosted events in Washington D.C., and other capitals worldwide, bringing together political leaders, media figures, and industry peers from across the political spectrum," the statement adds.
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According to Dagens Nyheter, Spotify had initially worked to keep the donation amount under wraps — though the platform wasn't the only tech giant to contribute large sums to Trump's inauguration fund.
But they weren't the biggest tech company donors by a long shot. As reported by The Guardian, Google, Meta, Uber, OpenAI and Amazon all donated $1 million to proceedings — while Variety reports that CEO of Apple Tim Cook also donated $1 million.
Henrietta Taylor is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter
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