Mark Zuckerberg’s big praise for Donald Trump after assassination bid: ‘Badass’
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg described former US President Donald Trump’s reaction to a recent assassination attempt.
As “badass” and inspiring, though he refrained from endorsing the Republican for the upcoming presidential election. “Seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most badass things I’ve ever seen in my life,” Zuckerberg told Bloomberg.
Despite this, the billionaire made it clear he would not be endorsing any candidate, nor does he plan to be involved in the upcoming election in any way.
Zuckerberg acknowledged the strong appeal Trump holds for certain Americans.
“At some level as an American, it’s hard to not, like, get kind of emotional about that spirit and that fight. And I think that’s why a lot of people like the guy.”
This comes in the wake of a gunman opening fire on Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, with a bullet grazing his right ear. The photo of a bleeding and defiant Trump with his fist in the air while surrounded by security agents in the aftermath of the assassination bid has gained iconic status.
Zuckerberg’s comments come as several influential figures in Silicon Valley, including Tesla boss Elon Musk and venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, backed Trump for President.
However, Zuckerberg made it clear that his praise for Trump’s reaction was personal and not political. His remarks follow Trump’s suggestion that he didn’t want to ban TikTok because it would benefit the Meta boss’s social media platforms.
Meta has often flagged Trump’s posts for misinformation and previously suspended his accounts for about two years following the January 2021 Capitol riots. Facebook and Instagram reinstated Trump’s accounts last year after suspending them post the Capitol Hill violence.
Trump has previously attacked Zuckerberg, both on social media and in public speeches, including a recent threat on Truth Social, where he suggested that he would send “ZUCKERBUCKS” to prison if he were elected president.
During a 2022 rally, Trump claimed that Zuckerberg praised him in private meetings. “Last week, the weirdo — he’s a weirdo — Mark Zuckerberg came to the White House, kissed my ass all night.”