Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, had a secret meeting with Attorney General Pam Bondi this past spring to discuss how to address President Trump’s concerns regarding the company’s increasing legal challenges, as revealed in a new book.
This meeting occurred at the Justice Department on March 12, just hours before Zuckerberg was set to meet with Trump at the White House, according to Jonathan Karl’s book, “Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign That Changed America.”
Zuckerberg sought Bondi’s advice on how to “effectively speak” to the president about issues he was facing. An excerpt noted that he inquired about “meth concerns,” which seems a bit vague, doesn’t it?
There’s no clarity on what specific guidance Bondi provided during their talk.
Neither the Justice Department nor Bondi responded to inquiries from the Post about the meeting.
This conversation took place shortly before the Federal Trade Commission launched its much-anticipated antitrust lawsuit against Meta, potentially forcing Zuckerberg to break up parts of his social media empire, like Instagram and WhatsApp.
The government’s claim alleges that Meta has engaged in anti-competitive practices by acquiring rival companies to suppress competition in social media.
As of now, a federal judge has yet to determine if Meta violated any antitrust laws.
Zuckerberg has made several trips to Washington, D.C., since Trump assumed office, often participating in prominent events alongside other technology leaders.
This increasing engagement coincides with the mounting scrutiny Meta faces from regulators in both Washington and Europe.
The FTC has accused Meta of harming competition, while the European Union is gearing up to impose significant fines on U.S. tech firms for similar antitrust issues.
Earlier in the year, reports indicated that Zuckerberg made attempts to sway a senior aide to Trump in hopes of resolving the FTC case before it reached court.
He has been known to meet with high-ranking White House officials multiple times, including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, as mentioned by sources familiar with his visits.
During one of those meetings, Trump commended Zuckerberg’s initiative to invest $50 billion in Louisiana data centers aimed at bolstering artificial intelligence infrastructure.
However, there were whispers among White House staff suggesting that some remained skeptical of Zuckerberg’s proposals.
“There are individuals close to Mr. Trump attempting to make things difficult for Mr. Zuckerberg,” one official shared earlier this year. “But whether this case unfolds favorably for them is uncertain.”
