Zuckerberg on Hot Mic: Wasn't Sure How Much to Promise Trump on AI Spend
Well, things are certainly heating up between Mark Zuckerberg and Donald Trump! Just a year after Trump was practically threatening to lock up the Meta CEO, they were chowing down together at the White House with a bunch of other tech bigwigs. Apparently, everyone was lining up to sing Trump's praises, but Zuckerberg's comments? They really stood out.
In a moment that's been making the rounds online, Trump asks Zuck how much he's planning to spend over the next few years. Zuckerberg's answer? "Probably going to be something like, I don't know, at least $600 billion through [20]28 in the US." Trump seemed pretty happy with that. "That's a lot, thank you Mark, it's great to have you."
However, the real juicy bit came later, caught by a hot mic. Zuckerberg turns to Trump, kind of apologetic, and says, "Sorry, I wasn't ready… I wasn't sure what number you wanted to go with." Now, that's a revealing moment, isn't it?
I mean, it seems like Zuckerberg's been working hard to get on Trump's good side. Remember when Trump was tossing around jail threats? Now, after a $1 million donation to the inauguration, some policy tweaks at Meta, a pro-Trump addition to the board, and a hefty settlement from a lawsuit, they're practically buddies.
Zuckerberg's Explanation
It seems like Zuckerberg is not only promising to invest a huge sum in US AI infrastructure but also seemingly confirming that Trump approves of the specific amount.
To clarify the situation, Zuckerberg posted on Threads that “ it's quite possible we'll invest even more “ and that he had briefed the president on Meta’s potential spending through 2028 and “the end of the decade.” “I wasn't sure which number he was asking about, so I just shared the lower number through '28 and clarified with him afterwards,” he wrote.
Source: Engadget