Zuckerberg is willing to take on such risks because of the potential benefits that come with smoothing his relationship with Trump, the people familiar with the matter said. In contrast to Meta's previous strategy of advocating for an even playing field across the tech industry, Zuckerberg now sees opportunities to gain a strategic advantage for his company, the people said.
One major concern for Zuckerberg is Elon Musk's central position in the Trump administration, where he's focused on slashing regulations. Meta competes with Musk's X and is also investing heavily in artificial intelligence, an area of particular interest to Musk and his startup xAI. Musk's role in the White House could put Meta at a disadvantage when it comes to policies surrounding AI.