Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has acknowledged that maintaining a strong relationship with the Trump administration is “necessary” for Big Tech companies, signaling a shift in Silicon Valley’s political stance during Trump’s second term.

In a recent interview with podcaster Dwarkesh Patel, Zuckerberg emphasized the importance of engaging with government leadership—regardless of politics—to ensure technological and economic progress.

Zuckerberg: Productive Government Ties Are Essential

“Our default as an American company should be to try to have a productive relationship with whoever is running the government,” Zuckerberg said. The comment came as Silicon Valley faces increasing scrutiny over its growing alignment with Trump.

Zuckerberg was seen dining with Trump at Mar-a-Lago the day before Thanksgiving 2024 and was among the tech leaders attending Trump’s January 2025 inauguration.

Criticism of Biden Administration’s Approach

Zuckerberg contrasted his current stance with past frustrations with the Biden White House. He noted that the previous administration showed limited willingness to engage with Meta or the broader business community.

“I’ve been pretty public with some of my frustrations with the previous administration,” Zuckerberg said, referring to a lack of collaboration and overreach on content moderation—particularly around COVID-19 misinformation.

In August 2024, Zuckerberg admitted that Meta faced pressure to remove posts and said he regretted not resisting more strongly.

Big Tech’s Evolving Relationship with Washington

Zuckerberg’s latest remarks highlight an evolving political dynamic, with major tech figures increasingly cozying up to Trump-era leadership. The Meta CEO’s support underscores Big Tech’s broader effort to align with federal priorities and avoid regulatory clashes.

“It’s like we’re trying to build great stuff,” Zuckerberg said. “That’s sort of how I see it, and it’s also how I would guess most others see it.”

A Meta spokesperson declined to comment on Zuckerberg’s interview or the company’s broader strategy regarding the Trump administration.