Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s unexpected appearance during a classified Oval Office meeting on the F-47 stealth fighter jet reportedly left military leaders uneasy. The meeting, led by President Donald Trump and top defense officials, was briefly disrupted when a young aide showed Trump something on a laptop and received multiple phone calls. Officials, expecting full privacy, were reportedly concerned these interruptions could pose risks to sensitive discussions.
Describing the atmosphere as “bizarro world,” one source told NBC News that confusion and discomfort were palpable in the room. According to the report, Zuckerberg was asked to wait outside due to lack of security clearance. However, a senior White House official later pushed back on that version, telling the New York Post the situation was “mischaracterised.”
“He was not asked to leave,” the official said. “He popped in to say hello at the president’s request, then stepped out to wait for his own meeting with POTUS, which was scheduled to begin after the briefing with the pilots.”
Zuckerberg’s evolving relationship with Trump
Zuckerberg’s relationship with Donald Trump has shifted dramatically since the 2020 election, when the Meta chief was accused of undermining Trump’s campaign by funding nonpartisan election infrastructure. Trump and his allies alleged the $400 million donation was intended to sway the outcome against him.
Following Trump’s return to the White House in 2024, however, Zuckerberg has appeared to move closer to the administration. He attended the inauguration, made repeated White House visits, and introduced several policy changes at Meta that conservatives welcomed, such as scaling back fact-checking and adding Trump ally Dana White, the UFC president, to Meta’s board. Still, trust remains an issue. A recent Tech Oversight Project and Public Policy Polling survey found Zuckerberg is the most disliked Big Tech CEO, with 63% of Trump voters holding an unfavourable view of him.