Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire founder of Facebook, met with incoming U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
The meeting marks the latest sign of Zuckerberg’s growing relationship with the president-elect ahead of his second term.
“It’s a crucial moment for the future of American innovation. Mark appreciated the invitation to join President Trump for dinner and the chance to meet with members of his team about the incoming administration,” a Meta spokesperson told CNN.
Politico was the first to report that Zuckerberg was seen at Mar-a-Lago, although the details of their conversation were not immediately known.
Zuckerberg had been in contact with Trump in the months leading up to the election, according to a report in The New York Times. After an assassination attempt on Trump in July, Zuckerberg expressed admiration, telling Bloomberg that seeing Trump stand up and raise his fist was “one of the most badass things I’ve ever seen in my life.”
In a book released earlier this summer, Trump accused Zuckerberg of conspiring against him and warned that the Meta CEO could face “life in prison” if he engaged in any illegal activities during the election.
“We are watching him closely,” Trump wrote. “If he does anything illegal this time, he will spend the rest of his life in prison — as will others who cheat in the 2024 Presidential Election.”
During an interview on Fox News on Wednesday night, Trump adviser Stephen Miller confirmed the meeting, stating that Zuckerberg has been “very clear about his desire to support and participate in the reform movement that Donald Trump is leading, both in America and around the world.”
