MAGA Is Already Turning on New Convert Mark Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg seems eager to join the ranks of MAGA nation, but some of Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters aren’t ready to embrace the Meta owner with open arms.

In the latest signal that he is cozying up to the incoming president, Zuckerberg announced on Tuesday that he is axing the Facebook’s fact-checking program, replacing it with a community notes system that mirrors that of X, Trump ally Elon Musk’s social media network.

However, given Zuckerberg’s previous support for liberal politicians—and the fact that Facebook banned Trump for two years amid his efforts to overturn the 2020 election—some MAGA faithful are skeptical of ordaining Zuckerberg as the next first buddy.

Nicole Shanahan, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‘s former running mate who has emerged as a MAGA media star, remarked on the “interesting timing” of Zuckerberg’s switch-up.

“Four years after censoring a sitting president, Zuck suddenly announces these reforms—right after the same man he banned from his platform gets re-elected by the people,” Shanahan wrote in an X post. “What about the thousands who were censored and humiliated for speaking truth to power? Where does that leave them? ‘The axe forgets, but the tree remembers.’”

Zuckerberg’s Tuesday announcement also revealed that Facebook’s moderation team would be moving from California to Texas, “where there’s less concern about the bias of our teams.”

Conspiracy theorist and MAGA media personality Laura Loomer has largely spent the past two weeks raging against Musk after she was stripped of her blue check mark on X. But on Tuesday she turned her criticism to the Meta CEO.

“Stop groveling to tech billionaires,” she wrote on X. “Zuckerberg hasn’t provided any evidence at all that he has changed. Every Trump supporter who was banned is still banned. I’m still banned on Facebook and Instagram and they never apologized to me for banning my CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN from having social media.”

“Talk is cheap,” she added. “I won’t be cheering till I see real change, apologies and accountability.”

User @JamesMa41250108 was in agreement with Loomer, writing on X, “Zuck is a liar. Facebook took down damn near every post I made about Kamala being a horrible candidate in the 24 election.”

Until now, the scrapped Meta fact-checking program had used third-party moderators certified by the International Fact-Checking Network to flag posts that were determined to be misinformation, according to Meta’s site. However, only posts that violated the platform’s community guidelines, such as hate speech, were removed.

Zuckerberg said on Tuesday that the changes to Facebook were intended to “promote free expression,” but Tom Vail, a MAGA former candidate who ran for Florida’s state house, was unequivocal that Zuckerberg’s newfound dedication to free speech could not be trusted.

“He is LYING,“ Vail wrote on X. ”I expect him to change (superficially, at least), but not by much. I’m SURE he is driven by his desire for money and power, both now and in the future. ‘Free Speech’ is a talking point which is good for business in the CURRENT environment.”

While Musk emerged as a Trump ally during the lead-up to the election in November, it is only since Trump’s victory that Zuckerberg has seemed to follow suit.

Last month, the Facebook founder joined fellow tech titan Jeff Bezos of Amazon in pledging $1 million to Trump’s inauguration. Zuckerberg also announced on Monday that he would add UFC CEO Dana White—a longtime friend of Trump’s—to Meta’s board of directors.