“No Way I Can Vote for a Democrat”: Zuckerberg’s Alleged Words
In a striking revelation, former President Donald Trump has claimed that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a surprising phone call following an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
During an interview with New York Magazine, Trump recounted the conversation: “Mark Zuckerberg called up and said, ‘I’ve never supported a Republican before, but there’s no way I can vote for a Democrat in this election.’” He further elaborated on Zuckerberg’s background, quoting him as saying, “He’s a guy that, his parents, everybody was always Democrat.” Trump added, “‘I will never vote for the people running against you after watching what you did.'”
Context: Assassination attempt and political tensions
Trump described the call as taking place shortly after he survived an incident during the rally where he was allegedly shot in the ear. This claim follows a report by Politico suggesting that Trump had previously threatened to imprison the tech executive.
“He told me there was nobody like Trump on Facebook. But at the same time, and for whatever reason, steered it against me,” Trump wrote.
The former president did not mince words about his stance on election integrity, stating, “We are watching him closely, and if he does anything illegal this time he will spend the rest of his life in prison — as will others who cheat in the 2024 Presidential Election.”
Zuckerberg’s reaction to the rally incident
In a more personal reaction, Zuckerberg spoke to Bloomberg shortly after the rally, describing Trump’s response to the assassination attempt: “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 b***** things I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“On some level as an American, it’s like hard to not get kind of emotional about that spirit and that fight, and I think that that’s why a lot of people like the guy,” Zuckerberg added.
Despite these personal remarks, the Meta CEO has not publicly endorsed any candidate for the 2024 presidential election. Speaking to Bloomberg in July, Zuckerberg stated, “I’m not planning to get involved in the election in any way.”
A Meta spokesperson reiterated this sentiment to New York Magazine, saying, “As Mark has said publicly, he’s not endorsing anybody in this race and has not communicated to anybody how he intends to vote.”
The alleged phone call and subsequent statements by both Trump and Zuckerberg add another layer of intrigue to the already contentious political landscape as the 2024 election approaches. While Trump’s claims may raise eyebrows, Zuckerberg’s official stance remains one of political neutrality.