Mark Zuckerberg’s Tactics in the Face of FTC Challenges and Policy Scrutiny

Mark Zuckerberg’s sudden embrace of Trump after funneling billions toward leftist causes has conservatives questioning his motives as he desperately tries to save Meta from antitrust breakup.

Key Takeaways

Meta has ended its fact-checking program, replacing it with a user-based system similar to X’s Community Notes, while Zuckerberg emphasizes a “return to free expression.”
Zuckerberg is actively lobbying the Trump administration to influence an FTC antitrust case that could force Meta to divest Instagram and WhatsApp.
Despite Meta’s public pivot toward free speech, many prominent conservative accounts remain banned while Zuckerberg attempts to curry favor with Trump.
Meta is relocating content moderation teams from California to Texas and easing restrictions on previously censored topics like immigration and gender identity.
Critics point to Zuckerberg’s hypocrisy after spending years funding open borders, criminal justice reform, and allegedly influencing elections for Democrats.

Meta’s Sudden Free Speech Conversion

After years of aggressive content moderation and censorship of conservative voices, Meta has abruptly changed course in the wake of Trump’s return to power. The company announced the end of its fact-checking program in January 2025, replacing it with a user-based system similar to Elon Musk’s Community Notes on X. This dramatic shift follows years of complaints from conservatives about biased enforcement and shadow-banning of right-leaning content across Facebook and Instagram.

“It’s time to get back to our roots around free expression,” declared Mark Zuckerberg, in what many conservatives view as a convenient evolution now that political winds have shifted.

Behind Closed Doors: Zuckerberg’s White House Lobbying

While publicly embracing free speech principles, Zuckerberg has been making regular visits to the White House with a specific agenda in mind. According to reports, these meetings aim to persuade President Trump to influence the Federal Trade Commission’s decision regarding an antitrust case that threatens to break up Meta’s empire by forcing divestiture of Instagram and WhatsApp. This existential threat to Meta’s business model explains Zuckerberg’s newfound appreciation for conservative principles.

“Facebook must be broken up, [Instagram] and WhatsApp should not have been allowed to merge with them. Clear antitrust violations, this limits competition and gives too much power to censor to one man, Mark Zuckerberg, who hates America.” – Mike Cernovich

As part of this strategic pivot, Meta executives proactively informed Trump officials about their policy changes in advance, and Zuckerberg has made highly publicized appearances at Trump’s inauguration along with donations to his inaugural fund. These moves represent a stark contrast to Meta’s previous antagonistic stance toward Trump, which culminated in banning his accounts following the January 6 Capitol events.

Conservative Accounts Still in Limbo

Despite Meta’s public declarations about embracing free expression, many prominent conservative voices remain banned from the platform. Laura Loomer, a controversial right-wing figure, claims Meta reneged on promises to restore her account. Other high-profile conservative commentators continue to face restrictions while Zuckerberg courts favor with the administration, raising questions about the sincerity of Meta’s commitment to free speech.

“Zuckerberg is full of shit, And so are all of the so-called ‘conservatives’ he brought on now that Trump is back. Facebook lied to me & said my account would be restored. I’m still banned.” – Laura Loomer

Adding to the controversy is the revelation of Meta’s alleged “hate agents” list, first disclosed in 2019, which reportedly targeted conservative voices for enhanced scrutiny. While a Meta spokesperson claims this list no longer exists, skepticism remains high among conservatives who recall years of algorithmic suppression and outright bans for expressing mainstream right-wing viewpoints.

From Open Borders Advocate to Trump Ally

Perhaps most galling to conservatives is Zuckerberg’s history of funding leftist causes while now seeking protection from the Trump administration. Through various foundations and initiatives, Zuckerberg poured hundreds of millions into organizations promoting open borders, criminal justice reform following the George Floyd riots, and controversial election activities that critics believe favored Democrats. This stark contradiction has not gone unnoticed by those with long memories.

“Zuckerberg spent hundreds of millions — billions — of dollars supporting open borders, ‘criminal justice reform’ (think – George Floyd riots) and election-fixing for Democrats and now he wants favors from the Trump administration.” – Natalie Winters

As part of Meta’s reorientation, content moderation teams are being relocated from liberal California to more conservative Texas, and restrictions on previously censored topics like immigration and gender identity are being eased. These moves reflect not only the new political reality but also Zuckerberg’s desperate attempt to preserve his tech empire from regulatory dismantling by convincing Trump that Meta is no longer an enemy of conservatives.