• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Tech

Facebook Says Peter Thiel’s Speech At GOP Convention Is ‘Personal’

By
Kia Kokalitcheva
Kia Kokalitcheva
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kia Kokalitcheva
Kia Kokalitcheva
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 14, 2016, 7:16 PM ET
PayPal Inc. Co-Founder Peter Thiel Interview
Bloomberg Bloomberg via Getty Images

Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel will speak at the GOP’s convention, but as his own person—got that?

Shortly after news broke on Thursday that Thiel would be on the convention’s agenda, Facebook made it very clear that it had nothing—no, really, nothing—to do with his appearance despite Thiel being on the company’s board.

“Peter Thiel is attending and speaking at the RNC in his personal capacity. He is not attending on behalf of Facebook or to represent our views,” Facebook said in a statement sent to tech news site Recode. The company also added that Thiel did not need Facebook’s permission to participate in the convention.

Thiel’s participation in the Republican Party’s convention this summer is no surprise, however. In May, news surfaced that Thiel had signed up to be a Trump election delegate in San Francisco.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

This is also not the first time Facebook has denied all responsibility or ties to Thiel’s actions. In early June, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg took the stage at Recode’s conference in Rancho Palos Verde, Calif. to talk about Thiel, shortly after he had admitted that he had financed formed wrestle Hulk Hogan’s financially crippling lawsuit against Gawker.

“Peter did what he did on his own, not as a Facebook board member,” Sandberg said on stage. “We didn’t know about it.”

Facebook’s relationship with U.S. politics has been challenging lately. A recent report about the biases against right-wing news and outlets in Facebook’s trending news sparked outrage, leading the company to invite prominent Republicans to its headquarters to discuss their concerns.

About the Author
By Kia Kokalitcheva
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.