Meta board member Dana White likens Zuckerberg to Trump, Icahn as company cuts 10% staff, boosts capex

Dana White, a Meta Platforms (META) board member, praised CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s “killer” instinct on May 26, 2026, comparing him to President Donald Trump and activist investor Carl Icahn. The comments coincide with Meta’s aggressive restructuring, including 10% staff cuts and a sharp increase in capital spending. Meta is reducing its workforce by about 8,000 employees to drive profits through artificial intelligence. The company also raised its full-year 2026 capex forecast to $125 billion–$145 billion, up from a prior range of $115 billion–$135 billion, stunning Wall Street at its late April earnings report. Meta shares were hammered on the news and have since treaded water, signaling investor unease with the high spending. White, who joined the board in January 2025 as a longtime Trump ally, said in Time magazine that Zuckerberg’s competitiveness rivals that of NBA legend Michael Jordan and Icahn.