Tech Titans and Trump: Inauguration Marks an Unlikely Alliance

Feature and Cover Tech Titans and Trump Inauguration Marks an Unlikely Alliance

The upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump will feature some of the most influential technology leaders in the country, showcasing a significant shift in the industry’s relationship with the new president. This development follows months of outreach efforts by tech giants to reconcile with Trump, who has historically criticized Silicon Valley’s major players.

Prominent figures such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai are expected to attend the event, sitting prominently in close proximity to Trump. Other notable attendees include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, and Apple CEO Tim Cook.

“You have this incoming president, elevating these people, seating them on the dais and … effectively trying to make them captives of his policymaking,” said Daniel Alpert, managing partner at Westwood Capital. He added, “The market is receiving it as Trump showing support for these companies, but really what he’s doing is it’s more like organized crime. It’s an offer you can’t refuse.”

The initial plan to have these tech leaders sit directly on the dais, alongside Trump’s family and former presidents, underscores their newfound proximity to the president-elect. While such a scene might have seemed improbable during Trump’s first administration, the tech industry has undergone a significant shift.

From Critics to Collaborators

During Trump’s first presidential campaign in 2016, many Silicon Valley leaders voiced strong opposition to his policies and political ascension. However, as Trump’s third bid for the presidency gained momentum, the tech community appeared eager to turn over a new leaf.

In the lead-up to Election Day, several industry leaders reached out to Trump. Apple’s Tim Cook discussed concerns about European regulations, while Pichai highlighted the web traffic generated by Trump’s campaign visit to McDonald’s. Zuckerberg praised Trump in a private call after an assassination attempt, describing the president as “badass.”

Following Trump’s reelection, tech companies such as Meta, Google, and Amazon donated $1 million each to his inaugural fund. Altman, a longtime Democratic donor, personally contributed $1 million, expressing his belief that Trump would lead the U.S. into the “age of artificial intelligence.”

Republican strategist Brittany Martinez interpreted these gestures as pragmatic moves. “A lot of these founders want to maybe be on the good side of the president of the United States,” she said. “You don’t want to be an enemy of the most powerful individual in the world.”

A Transactional Relationship

While the tech executives seem intent on repairing relations, Alpert believes Trump’s motivations are different. “The man is massively transactional,” Alpert said. “He’s simply going to use each of these guys to the extent that he finds them valuable.”

Alpert warned that Trump’s support could be fleeting. “When he no longer finds them valuable or doesn’t find them to be producing anything for him, particularly if there’s a groundswell of opposition to them in Congress, and he needs to buy votes, he’ll sell them off,” he said.

Some industry insiders see this dynamic as a natural aspect of adapting to a new administration. “There’s been a little bit of deference to the incoming administration, but that’s historically been fairly normal,” said Matt Calkins, co-founder of Appian. He dismissed concerns of an “emerging oligarchy,” noting that attending an inauguration is not unusual for top business leaders.

Democratic Pushback

Despite the outreach efforts, Democrats remain skeptical. In his farewell speech, President Joe Biden warned against an “oligarchy” of extreme wealth and influence, though he did not name Trump or his allies directly. Biden criticized Meta for discontinuing its fact-checking program amid growing concerns about misinformation.

Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) was more explicit, writing, “The billionaires are in charge. People who want to addict our kids to their technology, control what we think and do, destroy small businesses so they own everything. That’s what you will see on Monday.”

Policy Shifts and Controversies

The inauguration comes during a period of significant changes in the tech sector. Meta recently eliminated its third-party fact-checking program, replacing it with a community-driven initiative called “Community Notes.” The company also rolled back LGBTQ protections and reduced its diversity and inclusion programs. Zuckerberg described these changes as part of a broader cultural shift, stating they prioritized “speech” in response to the election results.

Meanwhile, TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain. After the Supreme Court upheld a law requiring TikTok’s parent company to either divest or face a ban, enforcement now rests with the incoming Trump administration. Chew, TikTok’s CEO, has aligned himself with Trump, thanking him for his commitment to keeping the app active in the U.S. Chew called the move a “strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship.”

TikTok has also spent $50,000 on an inauguration party for influencers who supported Trump’s campaign. Additionally, Chew will attend Trump’s victory rally in Washington, D.C., solidifying his position among the tech leaders embracing the new administration.

Musk’s Influence

Elon Musk, a vocal supporter of Trump, is seen as a key figure in bridging the gap between the president-elect and other tech leaders. Musk has publicly clashed with competitors like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg but has recently softened his stance. In a playful nod to their rivalry, Musk compared himself and Bezos to the protagonists of the movie “Stepbrothers,” suggesting a thaw in their relationship.

However, Musk has continued to challenge Zuckerberg, even suggesting physical confrontations, and is currently suing Altman and OpenAI over alleged deviations from its original mission.

Looking Ahead

The inauguration provides an opportunity for Trump to showcase his alliances with tech leaders, who may hope to gain favor with the administration. However, the underlying dynamics remain complex. While the tech industry’s leaders are eager to align themselves with Trump, observers caution that their newfound closeness may be short-lived.

As Alpert noted, “They’rescared out of their wits. They don’t want to have an oligarchy led by just companies with X in their name; they want to be able to share the pie equally or at least get their share.”

The event will serve as a symbolic moment for Trump and the tech industry, marking a cautious partnership between two historically opposed forces. Whether this alliance endures or fractures under political and economic pressures remains to be seen.

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