Joel Kaplan, Mark Zuckerberg’s top Washington advisor and Meta’s chief global affairs officer, is stepping down after a 15-year tenure at the company. In a social media post, Kaplan announced his upcoming departure, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.
Kaplan joined the company, then known as Facebook, in 2011 and became a close aide to Zuckerberg. During his time at Meta, he helped navigate the tech executive through various political administrations and changes in control of the White House and Congress. He played a key role in building ties with the Trump administration, during which Meta rolled back certain diversity initiatives and adjusted its fact-checking programs.
In his statement, Kaplan indicated he would stay on to assist through the US midterm elections scheduled for November 3, with his exit anticipated sometime in 2027 to allow time for a smooth leadership transition.
Mark Zuckerberg thanked Kaplan in a statement to Axios, praising his contributions to shaping the company's global policies and noting his friendship and advocacy over the years. Before his elevation to chief global affairs officer in January 2025, when he succeeded Nick Clegg, Kaplan managed US policy and lobbying operations and guided the platform through controversies such as the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal.
A graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School, Kaplan previously served as deputy White House chief of staff for policy under President George W. Bush from 2006 to 2009, clerked for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and served as an artillery officer in the US Marine Corps.
Although Kaplan mentioned a primary focus on spending time with family, he left open the possibility of future career endeavors. Following his departure, Meta plans to distribute his responsibilities among existing senior executives, with Dina Powell McCormick taking on external affairs and CJ Mahoney assuming policy duties.