Rachel Abrams

From The New York Times, I'm Rachel Abrams. This is The Daily. Testimonies began this week in one of the most aggressive cases the government has ever brought against a big tech company. And over the next eight weeks, the Federal Trade Commission will argue that Meta, the company founded by Mark Zuckerberg in his college dorm room, should be broken up.

Today, my colleague Cecilia Kang on the strange and contentious relationship between Zuckerberg and President Trump that has led to this moment and what the case means for both of them. It's Thursday, April 17th. Cecilia, you are talking to me from your car, I believe. Why are you talking to me from your car?

Today, my colleague Cecilia Kang on the strange and contentious relationship between Zuckerberg and President Trump that has led to this moment and what the case means for both of them. It's Thursday, April 17th. Cecilia, you are talking to me from your car, I believe. Why are you talking to me from your car?

It's sort of surprising to hear what you're saying because we've talked on the show about how the big tech giants have been increasingly cozying up to President Trump. I think a lot of people, myself included, saw photos of Zuckerberg at the inauguration. I sort of had the impression that these two men were at least a little bit warm toward each other.

It's sort of surprising to hear what you're saying because we've talked on the show about how the big tech giants have been increasingly cozying up to President Trump. I think a lot of people, myself included, saw photos of Zuckerberg at the inauguration. I sort of had the impression that these two men were at least a little bit warm toward each other.

So maybe you could just unpack this a little bit. What exactly is their relationship and how has it affected this case?

So maybe you could just unpack this a little bit. What exactly is their relationship and how has it affected this case?

I remember that. Facebook was really widely seen as one of the reasons that Trump won the election.

I remember that. Facebook was really widely seen as one of the reasons that Trump won the election.

So it sounds like at this point, basically, Zuckerberg and the Biden administration could not be farther apart.

So it sounds like at this point, basically, Zuckerberg and the Biden administration could not be farther apart.

So as Zuckerberg's relationship with Biden is deteriorating, what's going on with his relationship to Trump at this point in time? Oh.

So as Zuckerberg's relationship with Biden is deteriorating, what's going on with his relationship to Trump at this point in time? Oh.

And, you know, whether or not he believes in President Trump or whether he's just trying to do the best thing for his companies, I guess that doesn't really matter because he's gone full MAGA, right? Like he's fully aligning himself with the new administration. But I have to note that looking at where we are today, it doesn't seem like any of that helped him that much.

And, you know, whether or not he believes in President Trump or whether he's just trying to do the best thing for his companies, I guess that doesn't really matter because he's gone full MAGA, right? Like he's fully aligning himself with the new administration. But I have to note that looking at where we are today, it doesn't seem like any of that helped him that much.

So, Cecilia, we just talked about how Zuckerberg couldn't get Trump to make this case go away. But what exactly is the case that the government is bringing here?

So, Cecilia, we just talked about how Zuckerberg couldn't get Trump to make this case go away. But what exactly is the case that the government is bringing here?

So it sounds like from what you're saying that there weren't any alarm bells ringing at the time when Facebook was acquiring these companies. But obviously something changed. What changed and why?

So it sounds like from what you're saying that there weren't any alarm bells ringing at the time when Facebook was acquiring these companies. But obviously something changed. What changed and why?

So what is the harm that the government is arguing that Meta poses here exactly, if not ripping people off in terms of how much they're paying for a product?