President-elect Donald Trump dined with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, bringing together the Facebook founder and the former president who had been banned from the platform.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed the meeting, noting that Zuckerberg appreciated the invitation to discuss the incoming administration with Trump and his team.
Stephen Miller, appointed deputy chief of staff for Trump’s second term, stated that Zuckerberg, like other business leaders, aims to support Trump’s economic plans. The tech CEO, who has worked to improve his company’s relationship with the political right after tensions with Trump, expressed his support for America’s “national renewal” under Trump’s leadership.
Trump was banned from Facebook following the January 6th Capitol attack, but his account was reinstated in early 2023 with certain restrictions, which were later lifted. Despite a rocky history, Zuckerberg has since praised Trump’s resilience, while Trump has occasionally attacked Zuckerberg publicly, even using the nickname “ZUCKERBUCKS” in a Truth Social post.
The dinner also coincides with growing influence from Elon Musk in Trump’s circle, with Musk contributing significantly to Trump’s political efforts and playing a larger role in his advisory panels.
Musk, who reinstated Trump’s Twitter account after purchasing the platform, has also spent considerable time at Mar-a-Lago post-election.
