Staff Reports
Donald Trump and Mark Zuckerberg sharing a dinner table at Mar-a-Lago certainly sounds like an episode straight from a reality show, but it’s a development that holds profound significance for conservatives who are watching closely. The former president, fresh off his election victory and multiplying his influence, is clearly not one to overlook a chance to bridge gaps, even with the big tech mogul who once banished him from the virtual world of Facebook—talk about a power move.
Behind this dining debacle lies more than just fine dining and small talk. According to Stephen Miller, Trump’s appointed deputy chief of staff, Zuckerberg has awoken to the fact that supporting Trump’s economic plans isn’t just good for the nation—it might be his only way back into the good graces of a market that leans red. After enduring a rocky relationship post-Capitol riot, who wouldn’t scramble to get a seat at Trump’s table with aspirations of revamping his tarnished image? It’s clear that Zuckerberg isn’t just after a branded olive branch; he’s angling for a way to mend his relationship with conservative America.
NOW: Mark Zuckerberg dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago after reportedly requesting the meeting with the president-elect to discuss “the incoming administration…Zuckerberg's Facebook deleted The HighWire's page for accurately reporting on C-19 in 2020. Don't trust this guy. He… pic.twitter.com/qyvhAcn7eB
— Jefferey Jaxen (@JeffereyJaxen) November 28, 2024
While Zuckerberg strives to reshape his company’s perception on the right, he continues to balance his tech tycoon ambitions with a rare admiration for Trump’s decisive leadership. It seems the tech titan learned that playing footsie with the left won’t save him from conservative backlash. Indeed, he has recently voiced discontent with the Biden administration’s suppression of COVID-19-related content on Facebook, and it looks increasingly like he realizes that aligning with Trump could draw back those hefty ad dollars populating the wallets of many small businesses.
However, Trump has not entirely let bygones be bygones. With a flair for the dramatic, he took to Truth Social this past July and reminded Zuckerberg of the dark days of “ZUCKERBUCKS”—clearly, the man still knows how to throw shade even while breaking bread. Such jabs signal that a truce may not be in the cards just yet, but within the political chess game, every move counts, whether they play nice at dinner or not.
Interestingly, this dinner coincides with the ascendance of Elon Musk, the self-proclaimed free speech champion, whose clout seems to be growing exponentially within Trump’s camp. After pledging around $200 million through his political action committee, Musk is no lightweight in the MAGA movement. With his and Trump’s combined star power, it seems the right is prepping to move forward with renewed vigor, ready to tackle issues ranging from economic recovery to technocratic overreach—leaving Zuckerberg with little choice but to curry favor as the renovations of the conservative party go full steam ahead.
As the dust settles on this dinner of political intrigue, it’s clear that the alliance between Trump and Zuckerberg, however tentative, may mark a turning point for the tech industry’s relationship with a rising tide of conservative values. Whether this ‘dinner and a show’ will translate into tangible support for Trump’s agenda remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: it’s a noteworthy spectacle worth watching as it unfolds in the age of social media.
