Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s actions to curry favor with the president have rattled employees, but people familiar with his efforts say there’s a clear strategy.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is leveraging his relationship with President Donald Trump to challenge Apple amid an ongoing tech rivalry. Sources familiar with the matter say Zuckerberg hopes that Meta’s strengthened ties with the White House will shift regulatory scrutiny away from his company and onto Apple.

Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg’s open effort to curry favor with President Donald Trump has rattled employees, and the company is censoring their criticism internally, according to CNBC. Quoting unnamed “people familiar with the matter,