Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta lobbying Trump to settle FTC’s antitrust case: report
Mark Zuckerberg Urges Trump Administration to Settle FTC Antitrust Case
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly lobbying the Trump administration to settle the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust case against Meta before it goes to trial. Zuckerberg, who has been trying to build a relationship with President Trump, was seen at the White House as the administration prepared to announce its latest trade policies, according to the Wall Street Journal.
This visit marks Zuckerberg’s third trip to the White House since Trump’s presidency began. The terms of the proposed settlement between Meta and the FTC are currently unknown.
The FTC is seeking to break up Meta by undoing its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, alleging that Meta purchased these companies to prevent potential competitors from challenging its social media dominance. The trial is set to commence on April 14.
While some Trump administration officials have expressed concerns over Meta’s tactics, Trump has yet to make a decision on whether to settle the case.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone declined to comment on Zuckerberg’s meeting at the White House, stating that Mark is focused on discussions about American technology leadership.
Representatives for the White House did not respond to requests for comments, and the FTC also declined to comment on the matter.
Since taking office, Trump has exerted more control over the FTC, leading to the dismissal of the agency’s two Democrat commissioners. Chairman Andrew Ferguson, a Republican, has supported Trump’s actions and vowed to address anticompetitive practices by Big Tech firms.
Ferguson stated, “We’re gearing up for trial. We’ve got some of the FTC’s best lawyers on it, and we’re getting ready to go. This trial has been five years in the making.”
Meta and Zuckerberg have also urged the Trump administration to challenge the European Union’s fines on American tech companies for violating competition rules. The EU’s antitrust watchdog is expected to impose a hefty fine on Meta for noncompliance with the Digital Markets Act, with Meta seeking Trump’s intervention to mitigate or eliminate the penalty.
