Meta’s Board Gets a Republican Makeover: Trump Advisor Dina Powell McCormick and UFC’s Dana White Join Forces With Zuckerberg

Meta Platforms, the technology giant once known as Facebook, is making headlines for expanding its board of directors with high-profile GOP connections. In a bold, strategic move signaling closer ties with the current US administration, Meta has announced the addition of Dina Powell McCormick, a former Trump advisor and financial heavyweight, just months after appointing Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) boss – and Trump ally – Dana White.

This shake-up on Meta’s board comes at a potent political moment. Dina Powell McCormick's appointment isn’t just notable for her close association with former President Donald Trump—she served as his deputy national security advisor from 2017-2018—but also for her longstanding influence in both finance and policy. Married to Republican Senator Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania, Powell McCormick was recently photographed alongside Trump and Tesla’s Elon Musk at a prominent NCAA wrestling event, symbolizing a powerful convergence of business and politics.

Powell McCormick’s résumé is formidable. Beyond her roles in the Bush and Trump administrations—including serving as assistant Secretary of State under Condoleezza Rice—she is currently vice chair, president, and head of global client services at BDT & MSD Partners. This investment powerhouse, formed by the merger of BDT and Michael Dell’s MSD Partners, is the latest stop after her 16-year tenure and partnership at Goldman Sachs.

The move appears to further Meta’s pivot toward the Republican establishment amid Trump’s return to the White House. The timing follows Meta’s January announcement of Dana White, CEO of UFC and a longtime Trump confidant, to the board, as well as changes to the company’s approach to fact-checking in what some see as a nod to more conservative sensibilities. Observers note that this stands in sharp contrast to Trump’s heated criticisms of Meta—he once called the platform "the enemy of the people." Yet now, allies and advisors seem to be welcomed into the fold.

“Patrick and Dina bring a lot of experience supporting businesses and entrepreneurs to our board,” said CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The reference to Patrick Collison, CEO of fintech unicorn Stripe, highlights Meta’s ongoing bid to align itself with both business innovation and political influence. Collison, along with Powell McCormick, will officially join the board on April 15.

Zuckerberg himself has been front and center in this political recalibration, seen lobbying the Trump administration and attending lucrative real estate transactions in Washington, D.C. As Meta steers its leadership into a new era—potentially recalibrating its stance in the heated landscape of tech regulation, free speech, and platform policy—the choice of board members signals a sharpened intent to wield influence at the nation’s highest levels.

What will these changes mean for Meta’s policy direction—and for the broader relationship between Silicon Valley and the corridors of power in Washington? Readers are invited to share their thoughts on this striking convergence of technology, politics, and influence in the comments below.

• Dina Powell McCormick
• Mark Zuckerberg
• Meta Platforms