Barry Bennett, senior political advisor to Donald Trump, will meet with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the company’s headquarters on Wednesday. The meeting comes after allegations that the site suppressed headlines from conservative media outlets in its “trending news” section, as first reported by Gizmodo.
Zuckerberg has been critical of Trump, but in a Facebook post on Thursday pledged to sit down with conservative leaders. “I want to have a direct conversation about what Facebook stands for and how we can be sure our platform stays as open as possible,” Zuckerberg wrote.
Bennett, who previously served as campaign manager to former presidential candidate Ben Carson, will join former senator Jim DeMint, Fox’s Dana Perino, the Blaze’s Glenn Beck, CNN’s SE Cupp and the American Enterprise Institute’s Arthur Brooks, and Mitt Romney’s former Digital Director Zac Moffett at Facebook headquarters.
“The question that needs to be answered Wednesday is: Will Mark see this as an opportunity to free all points of view but at the same time unify America and the world,” Beck wrote on Facebook. “While they are a private business and I support their right to run it any way they desire without government interference, it would be wonderful if a tool like face book INDEPENDENTLY CHOSE to hold up Freedom of speech and freedom of association as a corporate principle.”
Conservative CNN commentator Cupp, told CNN she’s looking forward to the meeting. “Conservatives and Silicon Valley actually come down on the same side of many issues and share some common concerns,” Cupp said. “I’m sure we’ll find plenty to talk about, and I’m honored to have been included.”
Last Monday, Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) sent a letter to Zuckerberg demanding answers about Facebook’s practices, and according to CNN, more meetings with conservative leaders are expected.
