What may have been a problem for Kaplan at the time is now viewed as a strength. That's because the executive is seen as an ally to the Republicans in charge, the people said.
Clegg, by contrast, represented a more center-left position, they said. He was vocal in his support of banning Trump from Facebook's platform after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, while Kaplan was noticeably more reluctant about such a move, a person familiar with the matter said. Kaplan has also favored less strict content moderation policies, the person said.