GENERAL NEWS; – Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, has recently visited Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort, signaling a potential warming of their previously strained relationship. The president-elect has already established a close and prominent connection with another tech leader, Elon Musk, the owner of X.
Historically, the relationship between Trump and Zuckerberg has been distant, particularly following Trump’s suspension from Facebook and Instagram after the events of the Capitol riots. Trump had even warned Zuckerberg of possible imprisonment should he interfere in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
Nevertheless, recent interactions suggest a shift towards improved relations, highlighted by Zuckerberg’s dinner with Trump at his Florida estate. A spokesperson for Meta stated to the BBC, “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.” The spokesperson further emphasized, “It’s an important time for the future of American Innovation.”
In August, Trump had expressed in a book that Zuckerberg would “spend the rest of his life in prison” if he attempted to meddle in the 2024 election. However, Trump later moderated his stance, describing in an October podcast that it was “nice” that Zuckerberg was “staying out of the election,” and he expressed gratitude for a personal phone call from Zuckerberg following an assassination attempt against him.
There are also signs that Zuckerberg is seeking to adopt a more conciliatory approach towards the incoming president. Trump was banned from Meta’s platforms in 2021 due to what the company deemed his “praise for people engaged in violence at the Capitol on January 6.” This suspension has since been lifted.
In August of this year, Zuckerberg expressed regret over his decision to de-promote content related to allegations concerning Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, which had been a significant topic among right-wing circles prior to the 2020 election. He also indicated that he would cease further contributions to support electoral infrastructure.
