By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-28 06:21:28 | Updated at 2024-11-28 08:31:33
2 hours ago
Mark Zuckerberg traveled to Florida on Wednesday to meet with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago compound.
The Meta chief, 40, said he was 'grateful' for the opportunity to dine with Trump in an attempt to get into his good graces ahead of his return to the White House, following years of hostilities between the two moguls.
Trump has previously launched several public attacks against Zuckerberg over his perception that he and other conservatives have been unfairly censored by Meta.
This included claims in Trump's book Save America earlier this year, where he claimed Zuckerberg plotted against him in the 2020 election, and vowed Zuckerberg would 'spend the rest of his life in prison' if he did so again.
But the billionaires appeared to have put their differences aside this week in Florida, with a Meta spokesperson saying in a statement Zuckerberg was invited for the meeting by Trump.
'It’s an important time for the future of American Innovation,' the statement read.
'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.'
Trump has not yet commented on his meeting with Zuckerberg, however it came the same day he announced he had a 'wonderful' conversation with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum regarding closing the southern border.
Mark Zuckerberg traveled to Florida on Wednesday to meet with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago compound
Sources told the New York Times that Zuckerberg flew into West Palm Beach on Tuesday evening before joining Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Wednesday.
The two men reportedly 'exchanged pleasantries' and Zuckerberg congratulated Trump on securing a second term in the White House.
The met for an early afternoon meeting and made plans to dine together later that night at Trump's hotel, sources added.
Shortly after Zuckerberg's appearance at Mar-a-Lago circulated on social media, incoming White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller told Fox News that it marks a drastic turnaround in the Meta chief's approach.
Speaking on The Ingraham Angle, Miller said: 'Mark Zuckerberg has been very clear about his desire to be a supporter of and a participant in in this change that we’re seeing all around America, all around the world, with this reform movement that Donald Trump is leading.
'Mark Zuckerberg, like so many business leaders, understands that President Trump is an agent of change, an agent of prosperity.
'And so business leaders and CEOs everywhere want to be an element, a supporter, a booster of making our economy prosperous, delivering for American workers, and making sure that America is the most powerful, wealthiest, freest nation on the face of the earth.'
Donald Trump made no secret for his disdain for Zuckerberg in the past, and threatened to jail him 'for the rest of his life' earlier this year after accusing him of meddling in the 2020 election
Miller loosely referenced Zuckerberg's past difficulties with Trump through Meta and its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, but said we will 'have to see what comes' out of the meeting.
'Mark obviously has his own interests and his own company and his own agenda,' Miller said.
'But he has made clear that he wants to support the national renewal of America under President Trump's leadership.'
Host Bryan Kilmeade added that the meeting may be a sign that Trump 'might be getting over the fact that Zuckerbucks really impacted the 2020 election.'
The 'Zuckerbucks' nickname was one previously used by Trump in his attacks on Zuckerberg.
In one post to Truth Social in July, Trump vowed: 'If I'm elected President, we will pursue election fraudsters at levels never seen before, and they will be sent to prison for long periods of time.
'We already know you you are. DON'T DO IT! ZUCKERBUCKS, be careful!'
A Meta spokesperson said Zuckerberg was 'grateful' to be offered the meeting with the president-elect, which comes after years of hostility between the pair
In one post to Truth Social in July, Trump branded Zuckerberg 'Zuckerbucks' and vowed to jail him if he meddled in the election
Sources told the Times that Zuckerberg's inner circle came to understand Trump's likely election win early in election season, and he showed a marked shift in approach soon after.
Zuckerberg reportedly had at least two private phone calls with Trump over the summer, one of which came just a week after the 'Zuckerbucks' post when Trump was shot in the ear in a near-assassination.
At the time, Zuckerberg reportedly told Trump he was 'praying' for him after the attempt on his life.
In public, Zuckerberg followed a similar message as he said in an interview at the time that Trump's iconic raised-fight 'fight' reaction to the assassination attempt was 'badass.'
