Donald Trump and Mark Zuckerberg
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently visited Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort, signalling a notable warming of their previously tense relationship.
While Trump has maintained a high-profile connection with Elon Musk, the owner of X, his history with Zuckerberg has been far less amicable. Trump was banned from Facebook and Instagram following the Capitol riots, and he once publicly threatened Zuckerberg with jail time if he meddled in the 2024 presidential election.
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Despite this rocky past, recent developments suggest their relationship is on the mend. This apparent reconciliation was underscored by Zuckerberg dining with the president-elect at his Florida estate.
“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,” a Meta spokesperson said.
“It’s an important time for the future of American Innovation,” the statement added.
In August, Donald Trump declared in a book that Mark Zuckerberg would “spend the rest of his life in prison” if he interfered in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. However, the president-elect has since softened his stance. In an October podcast, Trump described it as “nice” that Zuckerberg was “staying out of the election” and expressed gratitude for a personal phone call from the Meta CEO following an assassination attempt on his life.
Recent signs suggest Zuckerberg is making efforts to build a more amicable relationship with the incoming president. After being banned from Meta’s platforms—Facebook and Instagram—in 2021 due to his alleged “praise for people engaged in violence” during the January 6 Capitol riots, Trump’s suspension has since been lifted.
Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk
Zuckerberg himself has shown a willingness to address contentious topics. In August, he expressed regret over Meta’s decision to suppress stories about Hunter Biden, a topic that had gained significant traction among right-wing circles during the 2020 election. Additionally, he pledged to cease funding electoral infrastructure, following criticism of his $400 million contribution in 2020, which some saw as an attempt to sidestep campaign donation limits. Zuckerberg defended the donation as nonpartisan, emphasizing his intent to remain neutral in elections.
While the specifics of the two men’s recent dinner conversation at Mar-a-Lago remain undisclosed, the meeting comes at a time when Meta faces mounting regulatory pressures, including an antitrust case initiated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2020.
Despite the apparent thaw between Zuckerberg and Trump, their relationship pales in comparison to Trump’s close alliance with Elon Musk. Musk, the owner of X, has donated over $100 million to Trump’s campaign and openly endorsed him, earning the billionaire significant influence in the incoming administration. Musk has even been appointed to lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), granting him sway over policies that could directly affect his business ventures.
Meanwhile, Zuckerberg and Musk’s longstanding rivalry remains intact. Their clashes range from serious business disputes—such as a 2016 incident when a SpaceX rocket destroyed a Facebook satellite—to a more recent, publicized war of words over a proposed cage fight. While the bout has yet to materialize, the tension between the two tech titans underscores their competitive dynamic, even as they vie for influence in Trump’s orbit.
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