Donald Trump Claims Mark Zuckerberg Shifted Allegiances Following Assassination Attempt

In a striking revelation, former US President Donald Trump has claimed that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg privately declared that he could no longer support Democratic candidates after the alleged assassination attempt on Trump. Trump recounted the conversation during an interview with New York Magazine, saying Zuckerberg contacted him after a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump had reportedly been shot in the ear on 13 July.

According to Trump, Zuckerberg, traditionally a Democrat, expressed admiration for Trump’s resilience. “Mark Zuckerberg called up and said, ‘I’ve never supported a Republican before, but there’s no way I can vote for a Democrat in this election,’” Trump told the magazine. He further added that Zuckerberg praised his handling of the incident, stating, “I will never vote for the people running against you after watching what you did.”

Zuckerberg, who has been relatively quiet on political endorsements, has previously acknowledged Trump’s display of determination following the assassination attempt. Speaking with Bloomberg shortly after the rally, Zuckerberg expressed respect for Trump’s actions. “Seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most badass things I’ve ever seen in my life,” Zuckerberg said. However, he maintained that he was not planning to publicly endorse anyone for the 2024 presidential race.

A spokesperson from Meta reiterated Zuckerberg’s neutral stance, telling New York Magazine that he has not endorsed any candidate nor shared how he intends to vote. Despite Trump’s assertions, Zuckerberg remains committed to staying out of the election, stating to Bloomberg in July, “I’m not planning to get involved.”

Trump’s Continued Attacks on Zuckerberg

This recent claim follows reports by Politico that Trump threatened to imprison Zuckerberg if he engages in any illegal activity regarding the 2024 election. In an excerpt from his upcoming book Save America, Trump accused Zuckerberg of turning Facebook against him during the 2020 election while simultaneously praising him.

“We are watching him closely, and if he does anything illegal this time, he will spend the rest of his life in prison — as will others who cheat in the 2024 Presidential Election,” Trump wrote. This falls in line with Trump’s consistent false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, a narrative that he has pushed since losing to current President Joe Biden.

Trump has also claimed that Zuckerberg’s donations of over R7.6 billion (converted from $400 million) to local election offices during the pandemic influenced the election’s outcome. While these donations were aimed at ensuring safe voting amid COVID-19 disruptions, Trump has often cited this as evidence of election rigging.

Baseless Accusations Continue

In a recent Truth Social post, Trump accused Zuckerberg of working with the Biden administration to suppress information about Hunter Biden’s laptop, a scandal that arose during the 2020 election. Trump referred to a letter Zuckerberg had sent to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, in which the Meta CEO acknowledged that his platform had been pressured by the Biden White House in 2021 to manage COVID-19-related content.

However, Zuckerberg’s letter did not support Trump’s claims regarding the 2020 election. Instead, Zuckerberg clarified that Meta demoted a New York Post story about Hunter Biden’s laptop during Trump’s presidency, following an FBI warning that it could be part of a Russian disinformation campaign.

Despite Trump’s continued accusations, Zuckerberg has yet to publicly respond directly to these claims. The Meta CEO, as of now, appears to be sticking to his stance of political neutrality.