I've commented on this before around HN, but worth repeating: people do change over ~20 years.
If I were judged by the shit I did in high school or my 20's, and assumed I was the same person I would be fucked. (I'm guessing many on these threads would empathize.) It just reeks of pseudo-cancel culture BS where one mistake will follow you for your entire life.
He hasn't just made one mistake, he keeps making the same mistakes. Merely a few years ago he ridiculed the notion that Facebook could have an influence on elections. Not only did that statement show that he hadn't learned, he also obviously thinks we're all idiots.
I think you're discounting the effect of lived experience and natural maturity that comes with age. People and their perspectives do change in their own - not just because they made a mistake that impacted them negatively.
If they have more eyeballs clicking around to see more misinformation they make more money.
There is nothing surprising that a guy who put “I’m CEO B1tch” on his business card would care less about destabilizing democratic governments than making himself rich.
He’s been spending time learning mandarin. Probably a good investment of time if people try to tar and feather him Boston tea party style should he succeed in the destruction of the American republic for profit.