Mark Zuckerberg Visits White House To Discuss US Tech Leadership
Zuckerberg, speaking in quarterly earnings call in January, said that it’s going to be “a big year for redefining our relationship with governments.”
(Bloomberg) -- Meta Platforms Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg visited the White House on Thursday to discuss how the company can support Trump administration efforts to strengthen US tech leadership, company spokesman Andy Stone said in a post on X.
The Facebook co-founder has repeatedly said in recent weeks that he’s optimistic that President Donald Trump will help ensure US technology companies’ dominance, helping them to beat competitors abroad and protecting them from regulatory headwinds.
Zuckerberg, speaking in quarterly earnings call in January, said that it’s going to be “a big year for redefining our relationship with governments.”
“We now have a US administration that is proud of our leading companies, prioritizes American technology winning, and that will defend our values and interests abroad,” Zuckerberg told investors. “And I am optimistic about the progress and innovation that this can unlock.”
The comments came at the end of a month in which Zuckerberg made several high-profile changes that have served to better align Meta with the Trump administration.
Zuckerberg elevated Joel Kaplan, a longtime Republican strategist, to chief global affairs officer and tapped Trump ally and CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship Dana White for the company’s board of directors. Zuckerberg moved to end US-based fact-checking on Meta’s social networks, and changed the company’s hateful conduct policy to newly allow “insulting language” aimed at immigrants and transgender people. He also visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, rolled back diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and moved members of Meta’s civil rights team to other parts of the company.
During an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan released on Jan. 10, Zuckerberg called for help from the US government to win the fast-moving artificial intelligence race.
“It’s getting really competitive,” Zuckerberg said. “I think it’s easy for the government to take for granted that the US will lead on all these things, when I think it’s a very close competition and we need the help. We need them to be a force that’s helping us to do these things.”
