WORLDTECHMeta's Joel Kaplan to exit as chief global affairs officer in 2027
Joel Kaplan, Meta's chief global affairs officer and its most prominent Republican voice in Washington, has announced he will leave the company after more than 15 years. He is expected to stay through the November 3, 2026 US midterm elections, with his last day expected to fall in 2027.
Departure reported by Bloomberg
Bloomberg reported, citing a company representative, that Kaplan is leaving Meta. The report puts his tenure at more than 15 years.
Kaplan framed the decision in personal terms, saying he wants more time with his family and a chance to recharge. The departure is set to be gradual, running into 2027.
From Facebook policy team to global affairs
Kaplan joined the company in 2011, when it was still called Facebook, to run its US policy team. He later rose to lead global policy and government affairs. Before joining, he served as deputy chief of staff for policy under President George W. Bush, and earlier he was a Marine Corps artillery officer.
He is a long-time adviser to chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and has strong Republican ties.
Leadership role since January 2025
In January 2025 Kaplan was promoted to Chief Global Affairs Officer, succeeding Nick Clegg, the former UK deputy prime minister, in a broader leadership reshuffle. The change came just before Donald Trump returned to the White House.
Since then Kaplan has led the company's dealings with the Trump administration, a stretch in which Meta also changed its approach to fact-checking and its diversity initiatives.
Policy duties go to senior colleagues
No successor has been named. President Dina Powell McCormick and chief legal officer C.J. Mahoney are expected to take on additional policy work, according to reports from Bloomberg and Quartz.
Open questions
- Who will ultimately succeed Kaplan as Meta's chief global affairs officer?
- Will Meta's dealings with the Trump administration shift once Kaplan departs?