Meta CEO (Facebook) Mark Zuckerberg’s recent visit to Mar-a-Lago signals a significant shift in his relationship with former President Donald Trump, marking their first in-person meeting since Trump’s election victory.
The meeting at Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida club comes amid growing indications of warming relations between the tech executive and the Republican leader. Trump adviser Stephen Miller confirmed the visit during an appearance on Fox News Channel’s The Ingraham Angle.
“Mark Zuckerberg, like so many business leaders, understands that President Trump is an agent of change, an agent of prosperity,” Miller said during the broadcast. He added that Zuckerberg “has made clear that he wants to support the national renewal of America under President Trump’s leadership.”
The meeting represents a dramatic evolution in the relationship between the two figures, who have had a contentious history. Meta had previously suspended Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts following the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, though the company reinstated his accounts in 2023.
In July, Zuckerberg made headlines when he praised Trump’s response to an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. “Seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most badass things I’ve ever seen in my life,” Zuckerberg told Bloomberg.
The Meta CEO elaborated on his reaction, stating, “On some level as an American, it’s hard to not get kind of emotional about that spirit and that fight, and I think that that’s why a lot of people like the guy.”
At the time, Zuckerberg did not endorse Trump or President Joe Biden in the conversation, saying he was “planning on not playing a significant role in the election … and that includes not endorsing either of the candidates.”
Recent interactions between the two have included multiple phone calls. During an August 1 interview on FOX Business’s Mornings with Maria, Trump revealed that Zuckerberg had reached out following the assassination attempt.
Trump also disclosed that Zuckerberg apologized for Meta’s incorrect labeling of a viral photo related to the incident. “He actually apologized. He said they made a mistake… and they’re correcting the mistake,” Trump stated.
The Mar-a-Lago meeting occurred as other tech industry figures have shown increased involvement with Trump’s inner circle. Tech mogul Elon Musk, who owns the X social network, has become more influential in Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement and has been selected to lead an outside advisory panel focused on identifying government waste.
Meta has indicated plans to reduce political content on its platforms moving forward, with Zuckerberg noting that users actually want to see less political content. The company has faced ongoing scrutiny over its role in elections and political discourse.