Meta’s president of global affairs since 2018, Nick Clegg, announced his resignation on Thursday, signaling a significant leadership shift at the tech giant.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Clegg revealed he would be stepping down, with Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican executive at Meta, taking over the role.
This leadership transition comes just three weeks before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, reflecting Meta’s apparent efforts to align more closely with the incoming administration.
“As a new year begins, I have come to the view that this is the right time for me to move on,” Clegg wrote in his announcement. “My time at the company coincided with a significant resetting of the relationship between ‘big tech’ and the societal pressures manifested in new laws, institutions, and norms affecting the sector.”
Clegg, a centrist who joined Meta after serving as the UK’s Deputy Prime Minister, has been a key figure in navigating the company’s global policy challenges. His departure marks the end of an era during which Meta faced mounting scrutiny over content moderation, privacy practices, and political influence.
Clegg praised Kaplan as “the right person for the right job at the right time.” Kaplan, who has been with Meta since 2011, is known for his Republican ties and will now lead the company’s policy efforts during Trump’s second term.
The move underscores Meta’s ongoing attempts to repair its relationship with conservatives. The company faced allegations of left-leaning bias after banning Trump’s social media accounts following the January 6 insurrection.
By appointing Kaplan, Meta may be signaling its willingness to work more closely with conservatives as it navigates the political challenges of a second Trump presidency.
