Donald Trump, who once branded Facebook as “a true enemy of the people,” now says he likes Mark Zuckerberg “much better” since the Meta CEO has “stayed out of the election.” Speaking on Barstool Sports’s Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, Trump revealed that Zuckerberg has reportedly adopted a more “nonpartisan” stance, even going so far as to tell Trump he could never vote for a Democrat in 2024. The two, once at odds over Trump’s social media ban, have softened their rhetoric, with Zuckerberg reaching out to Trump twice in recent months to rebuild their relationship.
The shift from Zuckerberg comes as Meta dismantles key election-focused features. Meta has downsized its election integrity team, halted transparency tools for tracking misinformation, and de-emphasized political content on its platforms. This pivot, aimed at keeping Meta “nonpartisan,” seems to have warmed Trump to Zuckerberg, marking a stark contrast to Trump’s previous jabs, where he dismissed Zuckerberg as “Zuckerschmuck” and criticized Facebook’s handling of COVID-19 misinformation.
According to reports, Zuckerberg has shifted from progressive affiliations toward a “classical liberal” or libertarian stance. He admitted to the House Judiciary Committee that he regretted not pushing back harder against censorship requests from the Biden administration, acknowledging that Meta’s choices around content moderation might look different in hindsight. This newly minted neutrality, combined with his withdrawal from political endorsements, appears to be winning Trump’s favor as both figures navigate the complex intersection of politics, social media, and public opinion ahead of the 2024 election.
