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Jun 18, 20261
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Trump Mocked Tech Leaders' Attempts to Win His Favor, Book Reveals
A forthcoming book by New York Times reporters reveals that President Trump privately mocked and ridiculed tech leaders Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos for their efforts to gain his favor following the 2024 election, sharing their fawning text messages and conversations with associates while praising their "groveling" to Elon Musk.


Quick Facts
Who
Donald Trump
What
Tech leaders sought to ingratiate themselves with Trump
When
After 2024 election
Where
Mar-a-Lago
- Tech leaders sought to ingratiate themselves with Trump
- Trump mocked their efforts behind their backs
- Zuckerberg sent text messages including a photo of his child's letter
- Bezos dined with Trump and criticized The Washington Post
- Trump shared the text messages with associates
President Donald Trump privately mocked and ridiculed efforts by major Silicon Valley leaders to ingratiate themselves with him following his 2024 election victory, according to a forthcoming book by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan titled "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump."
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos made particular efforts to curry favor with Trump during the transition period. Zuckerberg sent Trump text messages, including a photo of a letter from one of his school-aged children expressing that they "looked forward to the golden age of America"—echoing Trump's campaign slogan. Bezos, meanwhile, dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in December 2024, where he criticized The Washington Post, describing it as one of his worst financial investments, and later sent Trump a selfie with his fiancée Lauren Sánchez.
Trump subsequently shared these overtures with associates, describing them as evidence that Zuckerberg and Bezos were "kissing my ass." He reportedly told guests: "You would not believe the texts I got from these tech guys. I've got to show you." In a conversation with Elon Musk recounted in the book, Trump contrasted their current deference with their 2016 opposition, saying: "Think of where these guys were in 2016. They hated me. They were doing everything they could to knock me down. And look at them now." Musk responded approvingly: "First-class groveling."
The book describes an incident when Zuckerberg visited shortly after Thanksgiving 2024, noting Trump played the national anthem—performed by the J6 Prison Choir, a group of detained January 6 rioters—over the speakers. Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook also sought meetings with Trump during this period, though the book focuses primarily on Zuckerberg and Bezos's attempts to build rapport.
When asked about the book's reporting, White House spokesperson Kush Desai declined to directly respond to the specific episodes, instead stating that "President Trump is committed to working with every American business and business leader to cement America's innovative dominance." A representative for Bezos noted that the Amazon founder has maintained working relationships with presidents across administrations, while spokespeople for Musk and Meta did not respond to requests for comment.
Why This Matters
This revelation exposes a significant disconnect between the public deference tech leaders are showing toward Trump during his second term and his private contempt for their efforts. For readers and investors, it underscores the volatile and transactional nature of Trump's relationships with Big Tech CEOs, suggesting that despite outward reconciliation, deep mistrust persists. The incident also highlights how political power dynamics shape corporate strategy and media relations during presidential transitions.
Timeline & Sources
Jun 18, 2026
WireWIRED publishes article about upcoming book
Jun 23, 2026
WireBook 'Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump' officially released