Peter Thiel Is Donating $1.25 Million to Donald Trump

Peter Thiel is giving a sizable gift to Donald Trump.

The gay tech billionaire will make his first donation to the Republican presidential candidate's campaign: $1.25 million, through a combination of super PAC funds and direct contributions, reports The New York Times.

Thiel is the most prominent figure in Silicon Valley to support Trump, whose anti-immigration message is at odds with that of leading technology companies.

The donation also comes at a time when Trump is a pariah is to members of his own party, including Sen. John McCain. The former presidential candidate pulled his endorsement after a leaked Access Hollywood tape showed Trump making deplorable remarks about women.

Neither Trump nor Thiel has publicly commented on the donation.

Earlier this year, Thiel said he was "proud to be gay" in a speech at the Republican National Convention -- a first for the conservative gathering.

Some hailed the moment as historic. However, in a recent op-ed for The Advocate, Jim Downs argued that there's a difference between gay sex and gay identity. By "endorsing a platform that is actually dangerous to LGBT people," Thiel may not fit into the latter category.

"By the logic of gay liberation, Thiel is an example of a man who has sex with other men, but not a gay man. Because he does not embrace the struggle of people to embrace their distinctive identity," Downs wrote.

After Gawker reported on Thiel's sexual orientation almost a decade ago, the billionaire backed the lawsuit of Hulk Hogan, which resulted in the bankruptcy of Gawker Media and its out founder Nick Denton. The blog closed this summer.