Mark Zuckerberg’s awkward apology to Trump caught on hot mic at White House dinner, sparks online mockery

Mark Zuckerberg awkwardly apologized to Donald Trump during a White House dinner attended by major tech leaders.

Updated on: Sep 6, 2025, 16:41:33 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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Mark Zuckerberg's awkward apology to Donald Trump was recorded on a hot mic during a lavish President's dinner at the White House. The CEO of Meta was one of several Big Tech executives welcomed to the star-studded gathering on Thursday, which also included Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and Apple CEO Tim Cook.

US President Donald Trump speaks alongside Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg (L) as he hosts tech leaders for a dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on September 4, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (AFP)

After discussing his company's future investment plans with Trump during the dinner, Zuckerberg informed the audience that Meta will invest over $600 billion in the United States over the next several years.

“Oh gosh, I think it's probably gonna be something like... I don't know, at least 600 billion dollars through 2028,” Zuckerberg stated, as per Irish Star.

“That's a lot,” replied the POTUS, drawing laugh from the crowd. “Thank you, Mark, great to have you.”

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Zuckerberg apologises to Trump, netizens react

“I'm sorry, I wasn't ready to do our,” Zuckerberg whispered to Trump over a hot mic at one point, but the audio eventually became inaudible. Trump chuckled before turning to face First Lady Melania Trump, saying, “He said, 'I wasn't ready.'”

Then the META CEO said, “I wasn't sure what number you wanted to go with.”

Online users quickly poked fun at Zuckerberg for the audio error as the clip became viral. “Zuckerberg admits he and Trump just pull numbers out of their butts,” one person wrote on X, while another referred to the executives present at the event as “liars and sycophants.”

All about White House dinner

According to White House spokesperson Davis Ingle, the purpose of the event was to showcase the recently refurbished Rose Garden. “The Rose Garden Club at the White House is the hottest place to be in Washington, or perhaps the world,” Davis stated.

The President is excited to host this dinner and several other dignitaries on the new, gorgeous Rose Garden patio, which will bring together leading figures in industry, politics, and technology, he added.

Elon Musk, a former close friend of the President and former director of DOGE, was missing from the occasion due to the ongoing feud between them. The duo's brawl started over Trump's “Big, Beautiful Bill” and it later turned into a big online feud.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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