Meta Policy Chief Kaplan Plans 2027 Exit

Joel Kaplan, Meta's chief global affairs officer, plans to leave the company in 2027. He will remain through the November 3, 2026 U.S. midterm elections to help with the transition. A Meta spokesperson confirmed the exit on October 20, 2026. President and Vice Chairman Dina Powell McCormick will add external affairs to her portfolio, and Chief Legal Officer C.J. Mahoney has assumed policy responsibilities. Kaplan joined Meta in 2011 as vice president of U.S. public policy, became vice president of global public policy in 2014, and was promoted to chief global affairs officer in January 2025 after Nick Clegg. He is a former deputy chief of staff for policy under President George W. Bush and a veteran Marine Corps artillery officer. In a Threads post he said it had been a true privilege to work with Mark Zuckerberg and that he was very proud of the team built and work done. Under his tenure as chief global affairs officer, Meta rolled back U.S. fact-checking and ended diversity initiatives. Business Insider reported he helped repair ties with the Trump administration. Dina Powell McCormick served in the Trump administration during his first term. No material factual disputes appear in the record; Kaplan's next role is not stated.