In a fiery interview on ABC’s This Week, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon accused Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg of being a criminal and called for his prosecution over the infamous “Zuckerbuck” donations made during the 2020 presidential election.
The Hill reports that Steve Bannon recently launched a scathing attack on Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg during an interview with Jonathan Karl on ABC’s This Week. Bannon accused Zuckerberg of being a criminal and pushed for his prosecution over donations made through his company during the 2020 presidential election.
The heated exchange took place as Karl and Bannon discussed Monday’s inauguration, where several tech moguls, including Zuckerberg, are set to receive prime seats. Bannon claimed that Trump had “broken the oligarchs” and forced them to “surrender.” When asked if he believed in Zuckerberg’s “conversion,” Bannon responded with a resounding “Absolutely not,” before labeling the Meta founder a “criminal.”
Bannon’s accusations stem from “Zuckerbucks” — the many millions of dollars Zuckerberg poured into a nonprofit that distributed funds to election boards in 2020. While Zuckerberg claimed the contributions were intended to be non-partisan, Republicans have accused the organization of unfairly distributing the money to benefit leftists.
Bannon called for a systematic adjudication of the matter, either through the House or a grand jury led by a special prosecutor. He clarified that he was not directly calling for the Justice Department, under President-elect Trump, to prosecute Zuckerberg. Instead, he suggested that the House should investigate first, and if they are not prepared to do so, a special counsel should be set up to examine the 2020 election seriously.
This is not the first time Bannon has heavily criticized the Meta CEO. Earlier last week, he stated that Zuckerberg “can’t be trusted.” Bannon also expressed his belief that Zuckerberg will “flip on us in the second” when it becomes convenient for him.
The accusations come amid a series of events that have raised eyebrows regarding Zuckerberg’s relationship with the incoming administration. The Meta CEO is set to host a black-tie reception on January 20, following Trump’s inauguration. Additionally, Zuckerberg has recently attended meetings with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort, made a $1 million donation to Trump’s inaugural fund, and swiftly ended Meta’s heavily biased fact-checking program.
Read more at the Hill here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
