Mark Zuckerberg has entered his libertarian era

• In private, Zuckerberg identifies with the libertarian ideology, sources told the New York Times.
• Zuck is trying to repair his image with Republicans who have accused him of anti-conservative bias.
• His refusal to talk politics is distinct among his peers and a partisan schism in the tech world.

Out of the public eye, Mark Zuckerberg identifies with libertarianism — or at least that's according to the few sources privy to his private political thoughts. As Zuckerberg attempts to convince Republicans that he, and his company Meta, are nonpartisan, sources told the New York Times that he's sunk into a political cynicism.

In his effort to mend ties with the right, Zuckerberg has hired Republican strategist Brian Baker, who will aim to heal his relationship with right-wing media and operatives. Much of the animosity toward Zuckerberg trickles down from the top of the party, beginning with former President Donald Trump himself. Zuckerberg suspended Trump's Facebook account after the events of January 6 and thus ignited the former president's anger.

Trump now seems to delight in bashing Zuckerberg, whom he threatened to imprison if he wins back the White House. He's declared support for TikTok simply because it's one of Meta's competitors. And in his most recent book, Trump included a photo of Zuckerberg and said that the tech leader engaged in a "PLOT AGAINST THE PRESIDENT."

Now, however, it seems that Zuckerberg is attempting to make amends. The Meta CEO has called Trump twice this summer alone and even referred to him as a "badass" after the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. Zuckerberg has not yet pursued a connection with Vice President Kamala Harris, the NYT reported.

Trump asserts that Zuckerberg said there was "no way I can vote for a Democrat" when the two of them spoke, though representatives for Meta refute that narrative. A spokesperson said that Zuckerberg is not endorsing a candidate and hasn't shared how he will vote in November.

And Zuckerberg, who recently joined the three-member club of people worth more than $200 billion, is attempting to patch up his image among Republicans beyond the president. In 2020, Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, donated $400 million to protect election infrastructure. Some Republicans accused Zuckerberg of anti-conservative bias after the donation, and the billionaire sent a letter to Congress last month promising not to make similar contributions this cycle.

"Despite the analyses I've seen showing otherwise, I know that some people believe this work benefited one party over the other," Zuckerberg wrote. "My goal is to be neutral and not play a role one way or another — or to even appear to be playing a role."

The devotion to neutrality extends to the philanthropy he shares with his wife, the Times reported. While the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative once dumped money into progressive efforts like legalizing drugs, Zuckerberg no longer pushes causes that can be spun as partisan. In June, he told fellow attendees at a lavish retreat, known as a "summer camp for billionaires," that he regretted hiring employees who promoted leftist causes, sources said.

Both Zuckerberg and Chan are disturbed by what they understand to be antisemitic incidents on college campuses, including Harvard, their alma mater, according to the Times. Representatives for Meta and the Chan Zuckerberg Institute did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Zuckerberg's apparent aversion to all things political — and private embrace of the ideology that scorns all government intervention — sticks out among his colleagues. Many Silicon Valley executives have flocked to Harris' campaign, while a small though vocal faction supports Trump.