Meta’s CEO previously banned the president-elect from his platforms in 2021.
Following a reversal of his prior censorship of Donald Trump and his 2020 financial support for Democrats, Mark Zuckerberg dined with President-elect Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Multiple news sources confirmed the Meta CEO’s presence at Trump’s Florida resort, the center of the incoming administration’s operations. A Meta spokesperson verified the Wednesday dinner meeting.
“Mark appreciated the invitation to dine with President Trump and the opportunity to discuss the incoming administration with his team,” Meta stated. “This is a critical juncture for American innovation.”
The New York Times, citing unnamed sources, reported that Zuckerberg initiated the meeting. The specifics of their conversation remain undisclosed.
“We don’t comment on reported private meetings, whether they occurred or not,” Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung initially responded. However, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller later confirmed the dinner.
“Mark, naturally, has his own interests, his company, and his own agenda,” Miller told Fox News Wednesday evening. “But he’s made it clear he wants to support America’s national renewal under Trump’s leadership.”
Zuckerberg had previously banned Trump from Facebook and Instagram in 2021, while he was president, citing allegations of Trump’s involvement in inciting the January 6th Capitol riot. This unrest followed protests related to the 2020 election, which Trump lost to Joe Biden.
Leading up to the 2020 election, Zuckerberg donated $400 million of his personal funds to organizations in predominantly Democratic areas, ostensibly to promote easier voting and democracy. These “Zuckerbucks,” as they became known, facilitated what Time magazine called the “fortification” of the 2020 vote for Biden and Kamala Harris.
This time, however, Trump threatened prosecution of “Zuckerbucks” as election interference. Before this, Zuckerberg had praised Trump’s response to an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally and stated he would remain neutral in the election. By October, Trump was publicly expressing increased approval of Zuckerberg.
Meanwhile, Zuckerberg’s social media rival, Elon Musk, has become a close advisor to Trump, with some media labeling him Trump’s “first buddy.” Musk acquired Twitter (now X) in 2022 and reinstated numerous previously banned users, including Trump, following his belief that previous management colluded with the government and other platforms to censor individuals. He’s been appointed to lead a temporary entity called the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, tasked with significantly reducing the size of the US government.