Mark Zuckerberg’s political pivot is the PR equivalent of a circus act, and boy, is it something to watch. After years of being public enemy number one for conservatives—thanks to Meta’s censorship escapades—Zuckerberg is suddenly cozying up to President Trump and his supporters. It’s a move that has “damage control” written all over it, and it’s as calculated as it is clumsy.
The most obvious signal of this shift? The departure of Nick Clegg, Meta’s president for global affairs and one of the architects of its anti-Trump, anti-MAGA censorship regime. In his place steps Joel Kaplan, a former George W. Bush deputy chief of staff and a vocal critic of political speech restrictions at Meta. Kaplan’s appointment is no coincidence; it’s a clear attempt to smooth things over with conservatives ahead of Trump’s return to the White House.
Wow! Meta to replace Liberal head of Global Policy Nick Clegg with Republican Joel Kaplan.
Joel reportedly has been one of the most forceful voices inside Meta fighting against censorship.
This is huge. pic.twitter.com/dpJW2VFEkf
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 2, 2025
And let’s not forget the timing. This shakeup comes just three weeks before Trump’s inauguration, as big tech companies scramble to align themselves with the incoming administration. Zuckerberg himself has been doing some serious fence-mending, reportedly dining with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and even donating $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund. For someone who once threatened to jail Zuckerberg, Trump seems to be enjoying the olive branch.
Meta’s new lineup is a conservative’s dream team. Alongside Kaplan, you’ve got Kevin Martin, a former FCC appointee under Bush, now serving as vice president of global public policy. Meanwhile, Meta’s general counsel, Jennifer Newstead, once worked as the top legal adviser to Trump’s State Department. It’s almost like Zuckerberg is saying, “Look, we’re not that bad—promise!”
The effort to rehabilitate Meta’s image doesn’t stop at personnel changes. Zuckerberg has been singing Trump’s praises, calling his response to the attempt on his life, “one of the most bada** things” he’s ever seen. That’s a long way from bankrolling liberal causes and censoring conservative outlets. But hey, when survival is at stake, even Silicon Valley’s most famous billionaire can do a 180.
The question is whether conservatives will buy it. After years of blatant bias, it’s going to take more than a few high-profile dinners and personnel swaps to win back trust. Zuckerberg may be betting on a new era of Meta’s relationship with Washington, but for many on the right, the damage is done—and a shiny new team might not be enough to fix it.
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