Mark Zuckerberg, head of Meta (the parent company of Facebook), had dinner with President-elect Donald Trump at his Florida resort on Wednesday night, a meeting that might show they’re trying to get along better after years of not liking each other.
The dinner comes after Trump had often criticized Zuckerberg and his social media platforms. In the past, Trump even threatened to send Zuckerberg to jail over claims that Facebook was unfair to conservative and election interference, while Zuckerberg had banned Trump from Facebook following the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
“It’s an important time for the future of American Innovation,” 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.”
During the 2024 campaign, Zuckerberg maintained a politically neutral stance, declining to endorse any candidate. However, he did publicly praise Trump after surviving an assassination attempt, calling Trump’s response “one of the most badass things I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Stephen Miller, Trump’s incoming deputy chief of staff, characterized the meeting as a sign of Zuckerberg’s desire to support the “national renewal of America under Trump’s leadership.” This comes as other tech leaders, notably Elon Musk, have already cultivated close relationships with the president-elect.
Meta reinstated Trump’s social media accounts in early 2023, and Zuckerberg congratulated Trump on his election victory, posting on Threads that he was “looking forward to working with you and your administration.”
The dinner signals a potential strategic move by Zuckerberg to rebuild bridges with the incoming administration and mitigate potential regulatory challenges for Meta.