Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly met with US President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida compound.
Zuckerberg was spotted earlier at Mar-a-Lago, but neither the source nor a Trump aide disclosed details about their discussion.
The meeting follows Zuckerberg’s announcement of major policy changes at Meta, including the removal of fact-checking programs and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
These moves, revealed in a video message, are aimed at reducing “censorship” and “restore free expression.”
This isn’t the first interaction between the two figures.
Zuckerberg also met Trump over Thanksgiving last year, shortly before the policy shifts were announced.
Additionally, Meta has recently sought to strengthen ties with Trump and his incoming administration, appointing UFC CEO Dana White, a close Trump ally, to its board.
“I have a much greater command now of what I think the policy should be, and this is how it’s going to be going forward,” Zuckerberg said in a podcast interview with Joe Rogan, aired Friday.
Even last year, Zuckerberg dined with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, marking a notable shift in their historically tense relationship. The encounter was the latest development in what appears to be an evolving dynamic between the two figures, whose past interactions were marked by conflict.
Trump, banned from Facebook and Instagram in the aftermath of the January 6 Capitol riots, once publicly threatened to imprison Zuckerberg if he interfered in the 2024 presidential election.
However, the tone began to shift in recent months, with Trump softening his stance. He notably thanked Zuckerberg for a personal call following an assassination attempt and praised him for “staying out of the election.”
Meta’s recent policy changes, including the rollback of fact-checking initiatives and diversity programmes, may have contributed to the improving rapport.
These changes were announced shortly before the dinner, with Zuckerberg citing “too many mistakes and too much censorship” as motivations for the shift.
The rivalry between Zuckerberg and Musk adds another layer to the story. Their disagreements date back to 2016, when a SpaceX rocket explosion destroyed a Facebook satellite.
This tension has since spilled over into public disputes and even a highly publicised, though likely symbolic, proposal for a cage fight.