Meta has dismissed 20 employees for leaking internal information to the media, as the tech giant faces scrutiny over Mark Zuckerberg’s increasing alignment with US President Donald Trump.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed the layoffs on Thursday, stating that the company has strict policies against leaking confidential information.
“We tell employees when they join the company, and we offer periodic reminders, that it is against our policies to leak internal information, no matter the intent,” the spokesperson said, confirming a The Verge report.
The company warned that further terminations could follow.
“We recently conducted an investigation that resulted in roughly 20 employees being terminated for sharing confidential information outside the company, and we expect there will be more. We take this seriously and will continue to take action when we identify leaks.”
Zuckerberg’s Frustration Over Leaks
The firings follow recent reports detailing Zuckerberg’s private meetings with employees, where he expressed frustration over repeated leaks.
In a meeting first reported by The Verge, Zuckerberg admitted he would be less transparent with staff, stating:
“We try to be really open, and then everything I say leaks. It sucks.”
He also urged employees to “buckle up” for the coming year and suggested Meta would work productively with the White House.
Zuckerberg’s Growing Ties with Trump
Since Trump’s re-election, many tech leaders have softened their stance toward him, with Zuckerberg making a noticeable shift toward the Republican administration.
The Meta CEO has taken several steps to strengthen his ties with Trump, including:
Dining with the president on multiple occasions
Donating to Trump’s inauguration fund
Scaling back content moderation policies
Ending Facebook’s US fact-checking program
Appointing Trump ally Dana White to Meta’s board
Replacing his longtime political affairs chief with a prominent Republican
These moves have aligned Meta’s leadership more closely with Trump’s conservative base, as well as public figures like Elon Musk and other proponents of “masculine energy”.
During an appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast, Zuckerberg criticized corporate culture, stating:
“A lot of the corporate world is pretty culturally neutered. Embracing masculine energy is good.”
The shift in Meta’s political positioning, coupled with its crackdown on internal leaks, signals a significant transformation in how the company operates under Meta Fires 20 Employees for Leaking Internal Information Amid Zuckerberg’s Political Shift
Meta has dismissed 20 employees for leaking internal information to the media, as the tech giant faces scrutiny over Mark Zuckerberg’s increasing alignment with US President Donald Trump.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed the layoffs on Thursday, stating that the company has strict policies against leaking confidential information.
“We tell employees when they join the company, and we offer periodic reminders, that it is against our policies to leak internal information, no matter the intent,” the spokesperson said, confirming a The Verge report.
The company warned that further terminations could follow.
“We recently conducted an investigation that resulted in roughly 20 employees being terminated for sharing confidential information outside the company, and we expect there will be more. We take this seriously and will continue to take action when we identify leaks.”
Zuckerberg’s Frustration Over Leaks
The firings follow recent reports detailing Zuckerberg’s private meetings with employees, where he expressed frustration over repeated leaks.
In a meeting first reported by The Verge, Zuckerberg admitted he would be less transparent with staff, stating:
“We try to be really open, and then everything I say leaks. It sucks.”
He also urged employees to “buckle up” for the coming year and suggested Meta would work productively with the White House.
These moves have aligned Meta’s leadership more closely with Trump’s conservative base, as well as public figures like Elon Musk and other proponents of “masculine energy”.
