Was Zuckerberg Told to Leave Oval Office? Here’s What We Know

There has been controversy over whether Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was asked to depart a classified Oval Office session concerned with F-47 stealth fighter aircraft, with two large news media reports presenting conflicting accounts of the event.

NBC reported that Zuckerberg intruded into the session between ex-President Trump and top US officials unexpectedly. The session had to do with the highly classified F-47 stealth fighter program, and it raised questions over whether Zuckerberg had security clearance. According to the report, officials soon requested him to leave so that they could continue their discussion without revealing it.

White House Denies Claims, Cites Misreporting

Contrary to NBC’s account, another source — The New York Post — quoted a White House spokesperson who refuted the allegations in their entirety. The official said that the incident was reported inaccurately.

The Post clarified that Zuckerberg had briefly gone into the room at the President’s request to welcome guests, and then waited outside for a meeting with Trump, which was scheduled to happen after the F-47 talks.

Security Concerns and Protocol Disruption

NBC sources alleged that the presence of some attendees was taken aback at Zuckerberg‘s sudden appearance in what was supposed to be a heavily restricted setting. They questioned possible leaks of classified information, particularly as other disruptions happened during the meeting.

The report also referred to a young aide who momentarily came in to display something to Trump on a computer, and several phone calls that interrupted the course of the meeting. Officials claimed that these incidents threatened to leak sensitive or classified information pertaining to national security.

Trump’s Casual Approach Raises Eyebrows

NBC also pointed out that Trump tends to hold conflicting meetings in his own fashion — making impromptu telephone calls, receiving fashionably unapproved visitors, and running on with conversations unexpectedly.

This style reflects an approach that, although not new, has in the past created discomfort among officials dealing with classified issues. The F-47 stealth fighter plane meeting is one such case, in which formal behavior perhaps conflicted with procedure.

Tech Billionaires Still Face Public Distrust

The New York Post also added that recent polls capture broad public distrust of technology billionaires like Zuckerberg, particularly among Trump voters.

A survey conducted by the Tech Oversight Project and Public Policy Polling revealed that 63% of Trump voters have an unfavorable view of Zuckerberg, the most hated CEO of big tech companies.

The report indicates that efforts by tech moguls to speak closely with political leaders — across party lines — tend to be greeted with public suspicion instead of trust.

While it’s not known if any official request to leave was made to Zuckerberg or if he left voluntarily, the incident has highlighted frustrations over informal White House procedures during delicate negotiations and the ongoing tension between tech elites and political appearances.

To date, the White House has officially said nothing more than to deny the allegations. The reports, though, have already triggered controversies on security, optics, and influence in the highest echelons of power.