Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announced on Thursday that it had terminated approximately 20 employees for leaking internal information to the media. The move comes as CEO Mark Zuckerberg faces increasing scrutiny over his political realignment towards US President Donald Trump.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed the layoffs, first reported by The Verge, stating, “We tell employees when they join the company, and we offer periodic reminders, that it is against our policies to leak internal information, no matter the intent.” The company warned that further terminations could follow as investigations continue.
“We take this seriously and will continue to take action when we identify leaks,” the spokesperson added.
This latest crackdown follows a series of media reports based on Zuckerberg’s internal meetings with employees. In one such meeting, the tech billionaire expressed frustration over frequent 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 year ahead while emphasizing that Meta would work productively with the White House.
Zuckerberg’s Political Realignment Towards Trump
The mass firing comes amid Zuckerberg’s noticeable political pivot towards Trump since his return to office. Tech leaders, including Zuckerberg, have been aligning with Trump following his electoral victory, marking a significant shift in Silicon Valley’s traditionally left-leaning stance.
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Zuckerberg, who once faced Trump’s ire when Meta suspended him from Facebook after the January 6 Capitol riots, has since extended multiple overtures to the president. These efforts include hosting private dinners with Trump, donating to his inauguration fund, scaling back content moderation, and dismantling Facebook’s U.S. fact-checking program—moves widely interpreted as an attempt to curry favor with the Republican administration.
Further reinforcing his political shift, Zuckerberg replaced his long-time political affairs chief with a high-profile Republican and appointed Trump ally Dana White to Meta’s board of directors following the election.
Meta’s Conservative Turn & Broader Tech Industry Trends
Zuckerberg’s moves align with the broader trend of tech industry leaders gravitating towards Trump and his conservative allies. This includes figures like Tesla and X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk, who has frequently echoed Trump’s views on issues such as free speech and corporate governance.
The Meta CEO has also made headlines for his comments on corporate culture, recently telling Joe Rogan that much of the corporate world is “pretty culturally neutered” and that embracing masculine energy “is good.”
