Mark Zuckerberg and Donald Trump Share a Pivotal Moment at White House Tech Dinner
The relationship between Mark Zuckerberg and former President Donald Trump has undergone a dramatic transformation. This shift was on full display during a recent White House dinner attended by nearly three dozen tech CEOs and executives. The event, which saw numerous leaders praising the president, featured a particularly notable interaction between the two men.
In a moment that quickly circulated on social media, President Trump turned to the Meta CEO and asked him about his company’s planned investment in the United States. Zuckerberg responded, stating that Meta would probably spend at least six hundred billion dollars in the US through 2028. Trump appeared to approve of the figure, thanking Zuckerberg and saying it was great to have him.
However, a hot microphone captured a more revealing exchange between them shortly after. Zuckerberg leaned toward the president and quietly said, sorry, I was not ready. I was not sure what number you wanted to go with.
This private comment suggests a level of coordination and a desire to align with the administration’s expectations. The moment highlights the extent of Zuckerberg’s efforts to mend his relationship with Trump over the past year. This effort stands in stark contrast to the dynamic just one year ago, when the then-former president was publicly threatening the Facebook founder with imprisonment.
Zuckerberg’s campaign to curry favor has involved several significant actions. He donated one million dollars to Trump’s inauguration fund. Meta has implemented substantial policy changes, including abandoning third-party fact-checking on its platforms and publicly renouncing its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The company also added a prominent Trump supporter, UFC CEO Dana White, to its board of directors.
Furthermore, Meta paid twenty-five million dollars to settle a longstanding lawsuit related to Trump’s suspension from Facebook in 2021. The CEO has also held several private meetings with the president to discuss policy matters like digital taxes prior to public tariff announcements.
Following the dinner, Zuckerberg addressed the hot mic incident in a post on his Threads platform. He clarified that he had previously briefed the president on Meta’s potential spending through both 2028 and the end of the decade. He explained that he was uncertain which timeframe Trump was asking about during the dinner, so he provided the lower number for the nearer date and clarified with him afterward. Zuckerberg added that it is quite possible the company will invest even more than the stated amount.
The event and the captured audio underscore a complete reversal in the relationship between one of the world’s most powerful tech leaders and the president, moving from public threats to a collaborative and seemingly coordinated partnership.
