Was Mark Zuckerberg asked to leave after crashing Trump’s Oval Office meet?

In an unexpected moment that surprised top Pentagon officials, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly walked into a meeting at the Oval Office about the US Air Force’s new F-47 fighter jets.

Soon after, reports said he was politely asked to leave the room while the discussion went on.

Notably, concerns were raised over his presence since officials said he did not have the required security clearance to stay for the meeting.

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But a Trump official later rejected these claims, saying the report had “mischaracterised” what actually happened.

So, what happened in that meeting? Was Zuckerberg really asked to step out?

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Let’s take a look:

What happened when Zuckerberg ‘crashed’ the meeting? What does the report say?

According to NBC News, two people familiar with the meeting said military officials were taken aback when Mark Zuckerberg entered the Oval Office during a discussion about the Air Force’s next-generation fighter jet.

As the generals spoke about the highly advanced plane, which Trump described as the most capable and deadly combat aircraft ever built, they were surprised to see Zuckerberg appear mid-meeting.

The report said officials became worried because Zuckerberg, who is one of the world’s richest individuals, did not have the necessary security clearance for such a high-level national security discussion.

Sources told NBC that some generals were “mystified and a bit unnerved” by the lack of privacy in the Oval Office.

They reportedly spoke among themselves later, wondering whether sensitive “the visitors and calls might have compromised sensitive information”.

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He was then told to step out of the office and had to wait outside, the report said.

What the White House said on the report

Called ‘Maga Mark’ by some, Zuckerberg is said to have stayed briefly before being asked to wait outside.

But a senior White House official has rejected that version of events, claiming the report ‘mischaracterised’ what actually happened.

Speaking to the New York Post, the official said, “He was not asked to leave.”

“He popped in to say hello at the president’s request, and then left to wait for his meeting with Potus to begin, which was scheduled to occur after the meeting with the pilots,” the official added.

The exact date of the incident remains unclear, and Meta has not issued a statement on the matter.

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Zuckerberg & his history with politics

The Meta boss has had a complex history with politics.

He began by supporting liberal causes and pro-immigration policies. But over time, he shifted gears and started backing the Maga movement, especially during Donald Trump’s re-election campaign.

Earlier this year, Zuckerberg was also seen at Trump’s inauguration. He has since built closer ties with billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

New reports suggest that his growing association with Trump has even led to multiple White House visits, including the recent Oval Office meeting that drew attention.

Oval Office or Grand Central Terminal?

The US President reportedly calls the Oval Office ‘Grand Central Terminal’.

With this, he compares it to the busy New York train station, suggesting the space is often full of people coming and going.

Notably, that comparison is not far off. Unlike past presidents who kept the Oval Office tightly restricted, Trump has turned it into a hub for his allies, friends and staff, many of whom spend time in the West Wing even without formal business there.

Trump’s Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, is said to be present for almost “every meeting that matters,” according to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Trump calls her the ‘Ice Maiden’, and reports said she helps bring some order to the president’s informal style.

NBC also reported that cabinet members often drop by the Oval Office.

A former White House official said, “They should be running their bureaucracies. They shouldn’t be hanging around the White House.”