Meta Appoints Republican Executive as Head of Policy
Meta has announced the departure of its chief policy executive, Nick Clegg, as the company prepares for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. Clegg, who previously served as the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, joined Meta in 2018 and was elevated to the role of President of Global Affairs in 2022. He will be succeeded by Joel Kaplan, a long-standing executive with significant ties to the Republican Party.
In a recent Facebook post, Clegg expressed that he felt it was the right time to step down, noting how much the company has evolved since he joined. He will remain at Meta for a few months to facilitate a smooth transition for Kaplan.
Kaplan's ascension to this influential role comes as Mark Zuckerberg seeks to strengthen ties with Trump ahead of his return to the White House. Kaplan has a robust political background, having served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy under President George W. Bush prior to joining Meta in 2011. His history includes public scrutiny for his support of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during Senate confirmation hearings.
With a Republican-controlled Congress and an incoming administration, Kaplan is seen as well-positioned to guide Meta through the evolving political landscape. Clegg praised Kaplan, stating he is ideally suited to shape the company's strategy as societal and political expectations around technology continue to change.
Zuckerberg expressed gratitude for Clegg's contributions over the past seven years, highlighting the significant impact he made in promoting Meta's values and vision, especially regarding artificial intelligence and the metaverse. He also expressed enthusiasm about Kaplan taking on this pivotal role, acknowledging his extensive experience in policy leadership.
Meta has indicated that Zuckerberg aims to actively engage in discussions regarding technology policy with the incoming Trump administration. Following the election, Zuckerberg met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort and the company contributed $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund.
In recent years, Meta has reversed some of its content moderation policies related to election-related discourse, allowing users to post claims of electoral fraud and question the outcomes of the 2020 election. This shift has been welcomed by Republicans who have accused the platform of censoring conservative voices.
Furthermore, Zuckerberg has claimed that the Biden administration pressured Meta to limit content during the pandemic, a statement that Trump has leveraged to promote unfounded claims regarding the 2020 election.
For Zuckerberg and Meta, mending their relationship with Trump could be essential. In a recently published book, Trump alleged that Zuckerberg conspired against him and threatened legal consequences if any illegal actions were taken during the election.
As the Biden administration has been largely unsympathetic towards major tech companies, including Meta, several antitrust lawsuits have been filed against industry peers like Google, Apple, and Amazon. The anticipated Trump administration is expected to weigh in on critical technology issues, including the regulation of artificial intelligence and ongoing antitrust cases involving Meta.
