Zuckerberg's Hot Mic Apology Steals Show At Trump's White House Dinner

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump played host to a gathering of some of the most influential names in the technology world at the White House on the evening of September 4. Among those seated at the table were Apple's Tim Cook, Microsoft's Satya Nadella and Bill Gates, Google's Sundar Pichai, OpenAI's Sam Altman and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg.

The high-profile dinner was marked by a series of unscripted moments, from Zuckerberg's hot-mic remark to Gates praising Trump's vaccine record and Pichai expressing relief over Google's legal battle.

Zuckerberg's Candid Exchange

According to CNN, a striking moment came when Mark Zuckerberg was asked by reporters about concerns over free speech in Britain. The Meta chief, apparently unprepared, said, “Sorry, I wasn't ready,” before trailing off. His remark, caught on a live microphone, drew laughter from Trump, who repeated the line to the First Lady seated beside him.

Trump teased Zuckerberg by suggesting the question was the start of his political career. “This is the beginning of your political career,” Trump said, to which Zuckerberg quickly replied, “No it's not,” CNN reported.

Health Rumours Addressed With Humour

Trump also addressed speculation about his health, which recently spread online. Making light of the conspiracy theories, Trump told guests, “I went to an event and people are coming up to me and saying, ‘You're still here?' I said, ‘What do they mean by that?'” He added with a smile, “Well, I'm still here.”

Talk Of Russia And Ukraine

The dinner conversation also turned to international politics. Trump revealed, according to CNN, that he was planning to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, repeating his belief that his personal rapport with Moscow could pave the way for progress in efforts to end the war in Ukraine. “This one turned out to be more difficult, but we'll get it,” Trump said, before adding, “We're going to get it settled.”

New York Politics Enters The Conversation

As talk shifted closer to home, Trump commented on the upcoming New York City mayoral contest. Referring to Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, Trump said he would “prefer not to have a communist mayor of New York City.” His remarks come amid speculation that the current mayor, Eric Adams, may be preparing to join Trump's administration rather than continuing his re-election campaign, CNN reported.

Gates Links Trump-Era Vaccines To AI Potential

The tone became optimistic when Bill Gates drew comparisons between AI-driven health technologies and the Trump administration's Operation Warp Speed, which delivered COVID-19 vaccines in record time. Praising the approach, Gates said that the same model of concentrated funding and collaboration could produce breakthroughs in tackling diseases such as HIV and sickle cell.

Google's Legal Victory And Pichai's Relief

According to CNBC, another highlight was Trump congratulating Google chief Sundar Pichai on the company's favourable antitrust ruling. “Well you had a very good day yesterday,” Trump remarked, prompting laughter around the table. Pichai, clearly relieved, replied, “I'm glad it's over. It's a long process.”