What's behind Mark Zuckerberg's interest in a DC mansion?
What's the story
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is said to be eyeing a mansion in Washington, D.C., according to Financial Times. This possible move is seen as a sign of his ambition to work more closely with the Trump administration on key issues like artificial intelligence (AI) regulation. The Facebook founder attended President Trump's inauguration earlier this month, along with other top tech CEOs.
Property assets
Extensive real estate portfolio
The possible Washington DC home would add to Zuckerberg's already massive real estate portfolio. He already owns a number of properties in California and a massive $270 million (approx. ₹2,000 crore) compound in Hawaii. In December, he had denied rumors of building a "Doomsday bunker" under his 1,400-acre Kauai home in an interview with Bloomberg, saying it was more "like a basement."
Political dynamics
Changing relationship with Trump
In a major turnaround, Zuckerberg has been singing praises of Trump lately. The president had accused Meta of censorship and election interference in the past, even threatening to imprison Zuckerberg for alleged misconduct. However, on a recent appearance on "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, Zuckerberg said: "I think he just wants America to win."
Corporate changes
Zuckerberg's plea and recent appointments
Zuckerberg has also pushed Trump to stop European antitrust regulators from slapping American tech companies with hefty fines. Before the inauguration, he visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. In a surprising move, Zuckerberg appointed UFC President Dana White, a known Trump supporter, to Meta's board of directors and replaced left-wing policy chief Nick Clegg with Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican.
More updates
Meta settles $25M lawsuit filed by Trump
Meta has also settled a $25 million class-action lawsuit filed by Trump in 2021 after the company suspended his accounts following the January 6 Capitol riots. Trump filed the lawsuit against Meta, seeking damages for himself and other users whose accounts were "unfairly restricted or limited." The settlement was discussed during Trump's recent Mar-a-Lago meeting with Zuckerberg.