In a reported incident said to have left high-ranking U.S. military officials stunned, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg happened to stumble into a very classified meeting at the Oval Office earlier this year, where senior generals were discussing the U.S. military's next-generation stealth fighter, the "F-47."
The briefing had focused on the F-47 — America's sixth-generation warplane which bears the name of Donald Trump, the 47th President of the United States, The Independent states in a report carried by NBC News.
The surprise appearance of Zuckerberg, who had allegedly no security clearance to participate in such a sensitive defense briefing, sent alarm waves through White House aides and Pentagon officials as well.
While the Meta CEO was promptly escorted out, the disturbance apparently agitated military commanders who were in attendance. According to one official, the group was "mystified and a bit unnerved by the lack of privacy," and concerns exist about whether classified materials might have been inadvertently revealed.
Insiders say the moment underscores a broader shift in the working environment inside the Trump White House, described by some as a “bizarro world” where conventional structure and protocol often take a backseat. President Trump is said to favor a spontaneous and informal approach, often welcoming unscheduled guests and encouraging real-time input from whoever happens to be around.
One White House staffer characterized the president's management style: "He likes to schmooze and bounce things off whoever is around." This was said to apply even to prominent businessmen like Zuckerberg, who had been at the White House for a different event but found himself suddenly in the middle of one of the most closed-off national security briefings of the Trump presidency.
The Oval Office has earned a informal title in Trump's administration — "Grand Central Terminal" — due to the steady stream of visitors, advisors, and Cabinet members. In most instances, people hang around the West Wing just in anticipation of affecting a decision or remaining informed. "No one wants to miss the decision," stated one individual close to the situation, according to NBC.
This sort of drop-in culture is a far cry from the tightly managed access of previous administrations, when even high-ranking aides were subject to rigorous scheduling and protocol for Oval Office meetings.
While the report did not make it clear whether or not Zuckerberg was privy to classified information, the incident has raised new questions about national security protocol and how much openness versus control there is in the Trump White House. Thus far, neither the Pentagon nor the Secret Service have made an official statement.
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