UFC President Dana White has been named as the latest addition to Meta’s board of directors, the company revealed on Monday. White, known for his role as the CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and his alignment with former President Donald Trump, expressed his enthusiasm for this new opportunity.
“I’ve never felt compelled to join a board of directors until I received the invitation to join Meta’s board. I strongly believe that social media and artificial intelligence represent the future,” White stated in a released statement. “I am thrilled to become part of this exceptional team and gain a deeper understanding of this industry from an insider’s perspective. Brand-building is a passion of mine, and I am eager to contribute to taking Meta to new heights.”
White’s relationship with Trump spans back to as early as 2001, with the two frequently seen together at various events, as reported by the Associated Press. Notably, Trump has made appearances at multiple UFC matches, while White has made speeches at the Republican National Conventions of 2016, 2020, and 2024, including being on stage at Trump’s victory celebration.
Meta’s leadership landscape appears to be undergoing a shift with the recent departure of Nick Clegg, Meta’s former president of global affairs and a prominent figure in the UK’s Liberal Democrats party. Joel Kaplan, a long-standing member of the company and well-connected within the Republican Party, will be taking over Clegg’s role, according to previous reports from Business Insider.
This change in leadership contrasts with the historical tensions between the tech giant and the former president. In 2021, Trump was banned from Meta platforms following accusations of endorsing “individuals involved in violence at the Capitol on January 6.” Trump responded by filing lawsuits against Facebook, Google, Twitter, and their respective CEOs for what he claimed was unlawful censorship. Although his Meta accounts were reinstated two years later, Trump has continued to criticize the platforms and their executives publicly in the years following these events.
Since his successful reelection campaign, Meta pledged $1 million to support Trump’s presidential inauguration fund, a move that industry insiders have suggested may be aimed at improving relations with the new administration. Alongside White, Meta’s board will now include John Elkann, CEO of Exor, one of Europe’s largest investment companies, and tech investor Charlie Songhurst.
Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, expressed confidence in the new board additions, stating, “Dana, John, and Charlie bring a wealth of expertise and perspective that will enhance our ability to navigate the significant opportunities ahead in AI, wearable technology, and the evolution of human connections.”
Requests for comments from Meta, the UFC, and Trump’s transition team regarding this development were not met with an immediate response by Business Insider.
