Meta Platforms has appointed Dina Powell McCormick as its president and vice chairman, marking a significant strategic move to strengthen the company's lobbying efforts in Washington. The appointment of the former Trump administration official represents Meta's continued alignment with the current political landscape as the company accelerates its artificial intelligence investments.

Strategic Leadership Appointment

Powell McCormick brings extensive experience from both government and private sector roles to her new position at Meta. Her background spans 16 years in senior leadership roles at Goldman Sachs and key government positions during two presidential administrations.

President Trump congratulated Powell McCormick on her appointment through his Truth Social account, describing her as a "fantastic, and very talented, person" who served his administration with "strength and distinction."

Meta's Strategic Realignment

The appointment continues Meta's series of changes designed to align more closely with the Trump administration. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been actively seeking Trump's support for building data centers and energy capacity to support the company's frontier AI and personal superintelligence projects.

Recent strategic moves by Meta include:

• Scrapping its US fact-checking programme
• Elevating Republican Joel Kaplan as chief global affairs officer
• Ending diversity programmes
• Hiring former Trump trade adviser C.J. Mahoney to lead the legal team

Investment Focus and Responsibilities

Powell McCormick's role will center on expanding Meta's infrastructure capabilities and investment capacity. According to the company statement, she will help Meta expand its data centers, build new strategic capital partnerships, and increase the company's long-term investment capacity.

The appointment comes as Meta commits substantial resources to artificial intelligence development, with up to $72 billion allocated for capital spending in 2025. The company has been working to maintain competitiveness in Silicon Valley's AI race following mixed reception of its Llama 4 model.

Political and Ethical Considerations

Powell McCormick's husband, US Senator David McCormick, chairs the Senate subcommittee responsible for energy policy, an area directly relevant to her new role at Meta. His spokesperson confirmed that the senator will "continue to comply with all US Senate ethics rules."

The Tech Oversight Project has called for Senator McCormick to recuse himself from votes or committee actions involving Meta's business. Powell McCormick resigned from Meta's board in December, just eight months after joining, before accepting this executive position.

Her role draws comparisons to former Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, who leveraged connections to the Washington establishment and Democratic Party to help Meta navigate regulatory scrutiny during her tenure.

Meta Platforms Inc. has made a significant leadership appointment by naming Dina Powell McCormick as President and Vice Chairman, a newly created senior management position. She will report directly to CEO Mark Zuckerberg and play a pivotal role in guiding the company's strategic direction, particularly focusing on AI infrastructure development and global expansion initiatives.

Strategic Role and Responsibilities

In her new position at Meta, Powell McCormick will oversee the company's overall strategic direction and manage the execution of multi-billion-dollar infrastructure and AI investments. Her primary focus will be on developing strategic partnerships with governments and investors to fund large-scale data center and AI projects, expanding Meta's long-term investment capacity.

Extensive Professional Background

Powell McCormick brings over 25 years of distinguished experience across finance, public service, and economic development. She spent 16 years at Goldman Sachs, where she served on the firm's Management Committee and led the Global Sovereign Investment Banking division. During her tenure at Goldman Sachs, she spearheaded several major initiatives including the 10,000 Women program, 10,000 Small Businesses initiative, and One Million Black Women program, all designed to drive global economic growth and opportunity.

Government Service Experience

Her public service record includes advisory roles to two US presidents across different administrations. Under George W. Bush, she served as Senior White House Advisor and Assistant Secretary of State, working closely with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. During the Trump administration, she held the position of Deputy National Security Advisor, where she provided counsel on global strategy and national security matters.

Recent Leadership Roles

Before joining Meta, Powell McCormick served as Vice Chair, President, and Head of Global Client Services at BDT & MSD Partners, where she managed major global investments and client relationships. Notably, she also briefly served on Meta's board of directors before resigning in December, providing her with valuable insight into the company's operations and strategic priorities.

CEO's Strategic Vision

CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized Powell McCormick's unique qualifications for the role, particularly highlighting her global finance expertise and extensive international relationships. "Dina's experience at the highest levels of global finance, combined with her deep relationships around the world, makes her uniquely suited to help Meta manage this next phase of growth as the company's President and Vice Chairman," Zuckerberg stated. This appointment signals Meta's commitment to strengthening its AI capabilities and expanding its global infrastructure investments through strategic partnerships and enhanced capital access.