Former President Donald Trump has made a surprising claim about Mark Zuckerberg ahead of the 2024 election, which the Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) CEO has swiftly denied.
What Happened: Trump said that Zuckerberg made the remarks during a phone call after an assassination attempt on him at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July. The ex-president quoted Zuckerberg as saying, "I've never supported a Republican before, but there's no way I can vote for a Democrat in this election," reported New York Magazine on Monday.
A Meta spokesperson refuted Trump's claims, stating that Zuckerberg has not endorsed Trump or his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. "As Mark has said publicly, he's not endorsing anybody in this race and has not communicated to anybody how he intends to vote," the spokesperson told the outlet.
In a July interview, Zuckerberg praised Trump's reaction to the assassination attempt, calling it "bad**s," but reiterated that he would not endorse either candidate. Trump and Zuckerberg have had a contentious relationship, with Trump criticizing Meta for suspending his Facebook account after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Why It Matters: The relationship between Trump and Zuckerberg has been tumultuous, with Trump previously threatening to imprison Zuckerberg if re-elected. In July, Trump warned he would jail Zuckerberg and other "election fraudsters" if he returned to office.
In August, Trump criticized Zuckerberg in his new coffee table book, "Save America," suggesting that Zuckerberg was "always plotting" despite frequent visits to the Oval Office.
Just days after Trump's threat, Zuckerberg praised Trump's response to the assassination attempt, calling it "bad**s." This praise came despite the ongoing tension between the two.
In his latest book, Trump escalated his rhetoric, warning that Zuckerberg could face life imprisonment. The former president stated, "We are watching him closely."
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Image via Wikimedia Commons
This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote