United Airlines Donates $1 Million to Trump Inaugural Fund

United Airlines has announced a $1 million donation to President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural committee, joining a list of major corporations contributing to the event. The airline's CEO, Scott Kirby, is also set to attend various inaugural events over the long holiday weekend. Other companies donating $1 million include Delta Air Lines, Hyundai Motor U.S. unit, Chrysler-parent Stellantis, Boeing, General Motors, Ford Motor, Microsoft, Amazon.com, Alphabet, and Facebook-parent Meta.

The donation comes as Trump considers tariffs on parts imported from countries like Mexico, Canada, and China, and revoking tax credits on electric vehicles, which could negatively impact some of the contributing companies. However, Ford CEO Jim Farley expressed confidence that Trump would be open to hearing about how the tariffs would impact his company.

United Airlines' donation to the Trump inaugural fund is part of its commitment to participating in the political process and advocating for the long-term interests of the company. The airline has a history of lobbying and political contributions, focusing on issues such as modernizing infrastructure, advancing industry sustainability goals, rationalizing its tax burden, reducing unnecessary regulation, mitigating fuel costs, and enhancing global competitiveness in the airline industry.



The donation also aligns with United Airlines' political action committee (PAC) contributions, which are guided by the company's public policy objectives. The PAC makes contributions to candidates, political parties, and political committees based on factors such as the candidate's involvement with and position on issues affecting the airline industry, the presence of United's employees, facilities, or resources in the candidate's district or state, and the candidate's demonstrated leadership or potential for leadership.



In addition to its political contributions, United Airlines has been involved in various public relations efforts to improve its image and address customer concerns. In 2017, the airline faced significant backlash after a video surfaced of a passenger being dragged off one of its planes. United Airlines responded to the incident by apologizing and implementing changes to its policies to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

The airline's donation to the Trump inaugural fund is just one example of its ongoing efforts to engage in the political process and advocate for its long-term strategic goals. By maintaining a strong presence in the political arena, United Airlines can help shape policies that benefit the airline industry and its stakeholders.