FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — On Wednesday, Donald Trump hosted a dinner at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, welcoming Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg. This meeting marked a notable reunion between the social media founder and Trump, who had previously faced a ban from the platform.

Trump’s newly appointed deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, remarked that Zuckerberg, similar to other executives, is interested in backing Trump’s economic ambitions. Zuckerberg has been working to reshape his company’s perception among conservative circles following a tumultuous history with Trump.

Miller discussed the dinner in a Fox News interview, stating, “Mark, undoubtedly, has his own motivations, business, and agenda. However, he has expressed a desire to support America’s national rejuvenation under Trump’s guidance.”

A representative from Meta confirmed that the meeting took place, mentioning that Zuckerberg was invited to discuss the upcoming administration alongside Trump and his team.

Trump found himself banned from Facebook after the incidents on January 6, 2021, but his account was reinstated earlier this year. During the ongoing 2024 election cycle, Zuckerberg has refrained from publicly endorsing any presidential candidate.

Zuckerberg has recently shown a more favorable view toward Trump. He praised Trump’s reaction to an assassination attempt, describing it as “badass.” Additionally, Zuckerberg expressed concern over alleged pressures from senior officials in the Biden administration, who he claimed sought to have Facebook censor some discussions about COVID-19 during the health crisis.

Despite this shift, Trump has occasionally criticized Zuckerberg, including a threatening post on his social platform Truth Social in July in which he alluded to the Meta CEO by a nickname, warning him to be cautious, while mentioning election fraud claims.

This Thanksgiving Eve gathering comes amidst increasing support for Trump from tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, who has reportedly contributed around $200 million through his political action committee to advocate for Trump’s candidacy. Musk, the billionaire behind the X social network, has emerged as a significant figure in Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.

Since the election, Musk has been a frequent visitor at Mar-a-Lago and has been appointed by Trump to lead an external advisory group dubbed the “Department of Government Efficiency,” tasked with identifying governmental waste alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, a venture capitalist and former GOP presidential hopeful.