Mark Zuckerberg's yacht arrives in Seattle amid Meta layoffs

On Tuesday, May 26, the 120-meter yacht 'Launchpad', valued at approximately $300 million and linked to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, arrived at the Ballard locks in Seattle. The vessel's arrival coincided with a formal notification that Meta is laying off 1,395 employees in King County, Washington. While Zuckerberg was not reported to be on board, the event triggered public backlash and protests at the docks, with some onlookers criticizing the timing as insensitive given the workforce reduction. Critics and social media users described the yacht as a symbol of inequality, with reports of protesters calling for higher corporate taxes. These layoffs are part of a broader restructuring effort at Meta involving approximately 8,000 job cuts and 7,000 reassignments toward artificial intelligence. Media outlets note that while some sources characterize the yacht as a 40th birthday gift to himself, the company’s regional workforce is facing a 20% reduction. The situation highlights ongoing tensions regarding wealth disparity and corporate downsizing in the tech sector.