Meta fires employees for leaks amid Zuckerberg's Trump pivot
Meta on Thursday said it had laid off 20 workers for leaking information to the media, as the social media giant faces pressure over the recent political shift of its boss Mark Zuckerberg towards US President Donald Trump.
Meta announced Thursday that it had dismissed approximately 20 employees for leaking internal information, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg faces growing scrutiny over his recent political alignment with President Donald Trump.
“We inform employees upon joining, and regularly remind them, that leaking confidential information is against company policy, regardless of intent,” a Meta spokesperson said, confirming a report by The Verge.
The company added that the investigation leading to these terminations is ongoing and that further disciplinary actions could follow. “We take leaks seriously and will continue to act when violations occur,” the spokesperson stated.
These dismissals follow a series of reports detailing Zuckerberg’s internal discussions with staff. In one meeting, he reportedly expressed frustration over persistent leaks, stating, “We try to be really open, and then everything I say leaks. It sucks.” He also urged employees to “buckle up” for the coming year, signaling a closer working relationship between Meta and the White House.
Since Trump’s election victory, several major tech executives have aligned themselves with his administration, with Zuckerberg making particularly notable shifts toward the Republican president.
Zuckerberg, who had previously distanced himself from Trump, has since cultivated ties by engaging in private dinners, donating to his inauguration fund, relaxing content moderation policies, and dismantling Facebook’s US fact-checking program.
Additionally, Meta’s longtime head of political affairs was replaced by a high-profile Republican, and the company appointed Trump ally Dana White to its board after the election.
These moves reflect the broader shift in Silicon Valley’s corporate landscape, where prominent executives, including Elon Musk, have embraced a more conservative stance.
During a recent appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast, Zuckerberg criticized corporate culture as being "culturally neutered" and defended the importance of embracing masculine energy, stating, “It’s good.”
This article was reported by journalist Jimmy.