Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta Platforms Inc. META, was allegedly asked to leave a meeting in the Oval Office due to security clearance issues.
What Happened: Zuckerberg, who was at the White House to meet with President Donald Trump, unexpectedly walked into a meeting about the F-47 stealth fighter jet, NBC News reported on Wednesday. The Facebook founder was reportedly asked to wait outside due to concerns about his security clearance.
However, a senior Trump official refuted the claim that Zuckerberg was asked to leave the Oval Office. He told The New York Post that the situation was “mischaracterized.” “He was not asked to leave,” the official said. “He popped in to say hello at the president's request, and then left to wait for his meeting with POTUS to begin, which was scheduled to occur after the meeting with the pilots.”
Why It Matters: This incident comes amid a series of events that have linked Mark Zuckerberg and Meta Platforms Inc. META to the Trump administration. Meta insiders revealed that Zuckerberg’s apparent alignment with the MAGA movement had left many of his colleagues feeling “grieving,” with Tesla Inc. TSLA CEO Elon Musk‘s popularity being a major motivating factor.
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This shift in Zuckerberg’s public image followed a suggestion by Trump that Meta could invest up to $60 billion in the US by the end of 2025.
In June, Meta Platforms and other American Big Tech were relieved as Canada rescinded its Digital Services Tax after Trump called it a “blatant attack” on America, a move that was seen as a step towards mending bilateral relations.
On a year-to-date basis, Meta stock surged 19.08%.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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