Nicolle and Aaron Sorkin: This is Trump’s “ultimate mind f**”
Aaron Sorkin wasn’t planning to make another movie about Facebook — until he met a whistleblower whose story he felt compelled to tell. In an expansive conversation with Nicolle Wallace, the Oscar- and Emmy-winning writer and director discusses his new film, The Social Reckoning, and the extraordinary power Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook wield over nearly 3 billion people — and the costly decisions that have shaped the platform’s impact on our lives, our politics and our democracy.
A follow-up to 2010’s The Social Network, Sorkin’s new film examines Facebook in the age of Trump, telling the story of whistleblower Frances Haugen’s decision to expose internal documents detailing misinformation and potential harms, while exploring an older Zuckerberg confronting the consequences of the technology he created. Sorkin explains why he chose to release the film ahead of the midterm elections and why he believes there is still room for optimism — if we are willing to act.
Wallace and Sorkin explore Zuckerberg’s immense influence, the decisions surrounding Facebook on January 6, the people inside the company who knew what was happening and remained silent, and why Wallace sees Zuckerberg as “bubble wrapped from reality.” They discuss the complicated empathy the film invites audiences to feel for Zuckerberg — and how that empathy can coexist with accountability for decisions that affect billions. Sorkin also shares the story of Zuckerberg’s former consigliere and their falling out, his reaction to Jeremy Strong’s portrayal of Zuckerberg (whom Sorkin calls “the best American actor under 50 years old”), and Facebook’s efforts to obtain the film’s script before its release. He reveals how the filmmakers prepared for potential legal challenges, including the threat of a lawsuit.
The conversation also examines Trump’s relationship with Zuckerberg, the former president’s attacks on the media despite his apparent appetite for attention from credible news organizations, and the essential role investigative journalism plays in holding powerful people and institutions accountable. Wallace and Sorkin discuss why Congress and the law continue to lag behind rapidly advancing technology, the consequences of leaving that power unchecked, and why the stakes for democracy could hardly be higher.
And in a moment that connects Sorkin’s celebrated work across generations, the conversation turns to A Few Good Men, Hegseth’s “illegal order” and the enduring importance of questioning authority. Wallace, who was inspired by Allison Janney’s portrayal of White House Press Secretary C.J. Cregg on The West Wing to imagine a future for herself in the White House, joins Sorkin in reflecting on the responsibilities of the press, the dangers of unchecked power and the choices that define our political moment.
From Facebook’s influence over billions of lives to Trump, whistleblowers, investigative journalism and the future of American democracy, Sorkin’s message is clear: We need to take democracy more seriously.
MS NOW: My Source for News, Opinion, and the World.
» Subscribe to MS NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@msnow
Become an MS NOW Member! Join us here http://ms.now/membership
MS NOW is the go-to destination for domestic and international breaking news, and best-in-class opinion journalism. For more context and news coverage of the most important stories of our day click here: https://www.ms.now/
#Trump #Facebook #MarkZuckerberg
