Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg visited and dined with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Experts believe this might be further evidence of the pair normalizing their relations, which had previously reached a boiling point, with some suggesting he wants to be a part of the “national renewal.” Still, there is no confirmation of what was discussed at this dinner.
Historically, relations between Zuckerberg and Trump have not been easy, as Trump was effectively banned from Facebook and Instagram due to the January 6th riots, and Trump threatened to send Zuckerberg to jail if he interfered with the 2024 presidential election.
A Meta spokesperson said, “Mark was grateful for the invitation to join President Trump for dinner and the opportunity to meet with members of his team about the incoming administration.”
At the moment, major analysts and media outlets have two contending views on the matters that were discussed at the dinner. For instance, The New York Times reported that over the last eighteen months, Meta executives recognized that Trump might well win the election and prompted Zuckerberg to attempt to repair the previously tense relationship between the two.
Through this view, the dinner might well be seen as a natural stepping stone in improving relationships between Trump and Zuckerberg.
On the other hand, President Trump’s incoming chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller, told Fox News that Zuckerberg “has been very clear about his desire to be a supporter of, and a participant in, this change we’re seeing all around America and the world, with this reform movement that Donald Trump is leading.”
Miller added, “Mark Zuckerberg, like so many business leaders, understands that President Trump is an agent of change, an agent of prosperity.”
In August 2024, Trump said he would send Mark Zuckerberg to jail “for life” if he interfered with the 2024 election. By October, the President-elect had changed his stance, saying it was nice Zuckerberg stayed out of the election and thanked him for his phone call after the assassination attempt.
Besides the dinner at Mar-a-Lago, some of Mark Zuckerberg’s recent actions suggest he might be growing closer to Trump and his incoming administration. One of the most significant signs of this is Meta lifting the ban on Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Zuckerberg has also recently expressed his regret for shadowbanning content about Hunter Biden’s allegations during the 2020 presidential election. The Meta CEO has pledged to stop making contributions to electoral infrastructure, as his goal is to be neutral during elections.
