Mark Zuckerberg Declines to Endorse in 2024 Election, Cites Focus on Tech and User Experience

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced he will not endorse any candidate in the 2024 election, emphasizing his decision to limit his involvement in politics and focus on his company’s direction. In a decisive move, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that he will not endorse any candidate in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Speaking with Bloomberg, Zuckerberg, 40, stated that he has decided to stay out of the political fray this cycle, marking a significant departure from his previous actions in past elections. He noted, “I’m not planning on doing that this time, and that includes not endorsing either of the candidates.”

This announcement comes amidst a backdrop of growing political tension and a shift in Zuckerberg’s approach to Meta’s role in politics. While other tech leaders, including Elon Musk, have publicly supported former President Donald Trump, Zuckerberg’s stance remains neutral. Musk’s endorsement followed a dramatic incident at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was shot at but survived, with one of his supporters, Corey Comperatore, tragically killed.

Zuckerberg’s decision also contrasts with the actions of some former Democratic donors, such as Palantir advisor Jacob Helberg and Sequoia Capital Partner Shaun Maguire, who have recently backed Trump. Venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz have also shown support for Trump, according to reports from Reuters and The Hill.

Reflecting on his choice, Zuckerberg mentioned, “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.” He added, “On some level as an American, it’s like hard to not get kind of emotional about that spirit and that fight, and I think that’s why a lot of people like the guy.”

In parallel with his personal stance, Meta is taking steps to limit political content on its platforms. Instagram, a Meta subsidiary, has announced it will no longer proactively recommend political posts. Users must adjust their settings if they wish to see such content. Zuckerberg elaborated, “The main thing that I hear from people is that they actually want to see less political content on our services because they come to our services to connect with people. So, that’s what we’re going to do.”

This shift is part of Meta’s broader strategy to minimize its role in the upcoming election, focusing instead on enhancing user experience and maintaining a non-partisan stance. “We give people control over this, but we’re generally trying to recommend less political content,” Zuckerberg stated. “So, I think you’re going to see our services play less of a role in this election than they have in the past.”

Despite his neutral position, Zuckerberg has had a contentious relationship with Trump, especially over content moderation. Trump’s accounts on Facebook and Instagram were suspended for about two years following the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. The suspension, which Trump has continually criticized, remains a point of contention. Recently, Trump stated on Truth Social, “All I can say is that if I’m elected President, we will pursue Election Fraudsters at levels never seen before, and they will be sent to prison for long periods of time. We already know who you are. DON’T DO IT! ZUCKERBUCKS, be careful!”

Trump also reiterated his stance on regulating the tech industry, expressing support for TikTok as a counterbalance to Facebook and Instagram. “Now that I’m thinking about it, I’m for TikTok because you need competition. If you don’t have TikTok, you have Facebook and Instagram, and that’s, you know, that’s Zuckerberg,” he remarked.

As the 2024 election approaches, Zuckerberg’s decision underscores his commitment to focusing on Meta’s growth and user engagement, potentially signaling a new era of tech industry involvement in politics.