Mark Zuckerberg already spotted buddying up at Donald Trump's White House

Naturally.
By  on 
mark zuckerberg surrounded by cameras
Credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images

It looks like Mark Zuckerberg is further cozying up to President Donald Trump. The Meta chief was spotted exiting the White House Thursday afternoon.

Molly Nagle, a White House reporter at ABC News, tweeted: "Spotted at the White House: Mark Zuckerberg. He was seen leaving the West Wing earlier today. We've asked the White House why he was there."

Zuck can be seen in a somewhat blurry photo exiting the White House in a navy suit.

Meta spokesman Andy Stone wrote on X: "Mark Zuckerberg was at the White House today to discuss how Meta can help the administration defend and advance American tech leadership abroad."

Mashable Light Speed
Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories?
Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter.
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!

That's a rather broad description, so it's unclear what the conversation actually entailed. It's worth noting, however, that America's tech overlords have grown concerned about China's ascending tech influence through TikTok and DeepSeek. And just last month on The Joe Rogan Experience, Zuckerberg praised Trump for his America-first initiative.

"The American technology industry is a bright spot in the American economy," Zuckerberg said. "It's a strategic advantage for the United States that we have a lot of the strongest companies in the world. And I think it should be part of the U.S.' strategy going forward to defend that. And, one of the things that I'm optimistic about with President Trump is he just wants America to win."

So it's unsurprising to see Zuckerberg already at the White House. He's gone out of his way to cozy up to the Trump administration. Ahead of Trump's taking office, Zuckerberg worked to reshape Meta in the president's image by rescinding DEI initiatives, changing its hate speech policies, and dropping fact-checkers in favor of community notes. He also sat on the de facto billionaire's row at Trump's inauguration. Not to mention, Zuckerberg reportedly told employees at Meta that the company is actively courting the president's favor.

"I want to be clear, after the last several years, we now have an opportunity to have a productive partnership with the United States government," Zuckerberg said, according to a report in the New York Times. "We’re going to take that."

So it's hardly a shock Zuckerberg is already at the White House — it's more of the same.

close-up of man's face
Tim Marcin

Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, and the occasional hot take. You can find him posting endlessly about Buffalo wings on the website formerly known as Twitter at @timmarcin.


Recommended For You
8 ways Mark Zuckerberg changed Meta ahead of Trump’s inauguration
This photo illustration created on January 7, 2025, in Washington, DC, shows an image of Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, and an image of the Meta logo. Social media giant Meta on January 7, 2025, slashed its content moderation policies, including ending its US fact-checking program, in a major shift that conforms with the priorities of incoming president Donald Trump.

Mark Zuckerberg doubles down on Meta's submission to Trump
Mark Zuckerberg and Donald Trump on Facebook

Mark Zuckerberg announces $60 billion investment in Meta AI
Mark Zuckerberg's personal Facebook account is displayed on a mobile phone with the Meta logo visible on a tablet screen

Trump's White House portrait looks a lot like his mugshot, and the internet has noticed
Copis of Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump mugshot are seen on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15


More in Tech

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 7, 2025
A close-up of an NYT Connections game on a smartphone.

NYT Strands hints, answers for March 7
A game being played on a smartphone.

Tesla sales are reportedly falling globally. How bad it is and where.
Tesla logo

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 6, 2025
A close-up of an NYT Connections game on a smartphone.

Why are there no iPhones in 'Severance'?
By Jake Kleinman
John Turturro in "Severance."
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!