Mark Zuckerberg has dinner with Trump and reportedly promises backing

Palm Beach, Florida - Mark Zuckerberg joined Donald Trump for dinner at his Mar-a-Lago estate Wednesday, with an advisor to the president-elect saying the tech billionaire "wants to support the national renewal of America."

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg (l.) had dinner with President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, reportedly promising to "support" the new administration.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg (l.) had dinner with President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, reportedly promising to "support" the new administration.  © Collage: CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP & Jim WATSON / AFP

The 40-year-old chief executive of Meta – which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp – has been carefully trying to mend ties with Trump.

Both men have had a strained relationship over the years, with Facebook being among social media networks that banned Trump after the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

But on Wednesday, 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."

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In a statement, the spokesperson added that it was an important time for the future of American innovation.

It was not immediately clear if far-right billionaire Elon Musk, a close Trump ally who previously challenged Zuckerberg to a cage match fight, also attended the dinner, though he has frequently been present at Mar-a-Lago since the election.

Zuckerberg eager to "support" Trump administration

Zuckerberg previously approved Trump's ban from Facebook after the then-president's supporters stormed the Capitol.
Zuckerberg previously approved Trump's ban from Facebook after the then-president's supporters stormed the Capitol.  © JEFF KOWALSKY, ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP

Stephen Miller, Trump's incoming deputy chief of staff for policy, told Fox on Wednesday that Zuckerberg "has been very clear about his desire to be a supporter of, and a participant in, this change that we're seeing all around America."

"He's made clear that he wants to support the national renewal of America under President Trump's leadership," Miller said.

While treading cautiously in Trump's first term, tech moguls were quick to laud the Republican's election victory this time, with Zuckerberg among those who offered his congratulations.

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Before the election, Zuckerberg stopped election-related philanthropy and Meta modified its algorithms to reduce political content. He had previously contributed large sums to fund nonprofits working to support election infrastructure during the Covid pandemic.

The donations had been seized upon by Trump after his 2020 loss to Joe Biden, falsely alleging that they were part of a plot to swing the election.

Cover photo: Collage: CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP & Jim WATSON / AFP

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