According to Meta spokesperson Andy Stone, the accounts in question are managed by the White House, which updated the profiles to reflect the new officeholders. Stone clarified that this process is standard practice during presidential transitions, noting that similar steps were followed when the administration changed hands previously.
The accounts in question, which include the handles @POTUS (President of the United States), @VP (Vice President), and @FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States), had previously featured Joe Biden and Jill Biden’s names and portraits.
Stone explained that the transition of accounts may cause delays in follow or unfollow requests as these profiles change ownership.
The controversy comes as Donald Trump assumes the presidency for his second term, a milestone marked by a flurry of executive orders aligning with his political agenda, such as withdrawing from the World Health Organization and declaring a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump’s inauguration was attended by key tech figures, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and X CEO Elon Musk, both of whom have played advisory roles in the new administration. Despite past tensions between Trump and Meta—particularly after the platform banned him in 2021 due to his comments related to the Capitol riots—Zuckerberg has seemed to mend his relationship with Trump, with a notable dinner meeting and a $1 million donation towards the inauguration.
In response to previous criticisms, Meta also announced it would end third-party fact-checking and adopt an approach similar to X’s “community notes,” positioning itself as recommitting to “free expression.”
