Trump Features Mark Zuckerberg in New Picture Book with Critique

Mark Zuckerberg will make an appearance in Donald Trump’s upcoming photo book, but the portrayal isn’t flattering. The book, titled “Save America,” is scheduled for release on Tuesday and encompasses various images from Trump’s first term in office.

According to reports, the book includes a photo of Trump with Zuckerberg, accompanied by comments that reveal Trump’s disdain for the Meta CEO. In the caption, Trump accuses Zuckerberg of being involved in a conspiracy against him, suggesting that he was executing a “PLOT” through significant financial contributions aimed at election infrastructure.

The reference seems to stem from the $420 million that Zuckerberg and his wife contributed during the 2020 election cycle. This funding has often been criticized by Trump, who believes it disproportionately aided Democratic causes. The specific timeline of when Trump penned the caption remains ambiguous, particularly since it follows a recent comment from Zuckerberg, who described Trump as a “badass.”

This week, Zuckerberg responded to concerns from Republicans by declaring that he would no longer make such contributions to election infrastructure, despite the various analyses stating otherwise. He expressed a desire to maintain neutrality amid accusations of bias. In a letter to Rep. Jim Jordan, Zuckerberg emphasized that it was never his intention to support one party over the other. “My goal is to be neutral and not play a role one way or another — or to even appear to be playing a role,” he stated.

Trump’s history of criticism towards Zuckerberg is well-documented. Following the suspension of Trump’s accounts due to his inflammatory remarks related to the Capitol insurrection, Trump has repeatedly lambasted Zuckerberg and Meta. While Meta announced the reinstatement of Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts last year with certain restrictions, those extra measures were removed just last month.

Trump’s remarks about Zuckerberg have often escalated. In July, he went so far as to threaten prison sentences for those he accused of election fraud, specifically mentioning Zuckerberg’s name. Politico reported that in the same text accompanying the photo of Zuckerberg, Trump expressed frustration over his suspension from Facebook, asserting that if Zuckerberg engaged in illegal activities again, he would face severe consequences.

In a more recent interview, Zuckerberg characterized Trump’s defiance and response during a rally in Pennsylvania as “badass,” but he also clarified that he has no plans to endorse any presidential candidate this election cycle.

As the book’s release draws closer, responses from Meta and Trump’s campaign regarding these developments have not yet materialized.

Source: Business Insider