Zuckerberg-Trump Dinner Interaction Draws Attention

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was caught on a live microphone during a White House dinner on September 3, 2025, in an awkward exchange with President Donald Trump.

The dinner included other tech leaders, such as Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Oracle CEO Safra Catz. Trump called these executives “the smartest people” leading a business revolution.

One key discussion was the “money question,” in which Trump asked whether tech companies planned to invest more in the U.S. Reports indicate Zuckerberg announced that Meta would invest $600 billion in the U.S. by 2028, but was later recorded apologizing to Trump, saying, “Sorry, I’m not sure if this number is correct.” The moment quickly went viral, being dubbed “awkward” and “unprepared.”

The incident sparked debate over tech leaders’ relationships with political figures. Some argue companies should handle government relations cautiously to avoid appearing overly reliant, while others contend active engagement is necessary to maintain a stable operating environment.