Tech leaders line as much as flatter Trump’s ego

If former President Donald Trump is to be believed, among the richest and strongest folks on the earth have referred to as him to lavish him with compliments. Although most leaders of main tech corporations haven’t publicly endorsed him — with one evident exception — Trump claims they’ve privately informed him how cool he’s, implied they’d be higher off below a Trump presidency, or stated they aren’t voting for his opponent.

Amongst Trump’s claims: Google CEO Sundar Pichai congratulated him on his stint as a McDonald’s worker, calling it “one of many largest issues we’ve seen on Google”; Tim Prepare dinner referred to as him to complain about fines the European Union levied on Apple; Mark Zuckerberg referred to as him a number of instances to “apologize” and stated there’s “no means” he can vote for a Democrat after a shooter almost took Trump’s life in Pennsylvania. 

If true, it will be an attention-grabbing pivot for the leaders of corporations that Trump has accused of “manipulating” votes within the 2016 election, “rigging” search outcomes towards him and different conservatives, and typically being “anti-Trump.” The accusations aren’t one-sided, both: Amazon has claimed that Trump used “improper stress” to persuade the Pentagon to not award the corporate a multibillion-dollar protection contract. 

After all, it’s attainable that these males aren’t truly lining as much as kiss the ring or that Trump — a diva who’s susceptible to exaggeration — has sensationalized extra mundane conversations. It’s additionally attainable that, regardless of their riches, Zuckerberg, Pichai, Prepare dinner, and different leaders of main tech corporations are in the identical boat as the remainder of us: they don’t know who will win the presidential election. Ballot after ballot exhibits that it’s principally a coin flip. And if one of many two individuals who may very well be president is each vindictive and prone to flattery — and in control of appointing individuals who determine easy methods to spend billions in federal contracts — why not butter him up a bit of bit?

You may see the calculus at play. Trump has prior to now made coverage choices primarily based on his grudges and whims and is all however threatening to take action once more if he will get again into the White Home. In September, he threatened to prosecute Google if reelected, saying the corporate had “illegally” solely proven “dangerous tales” about him and “good” ones about Vice President Kamala Harris. He later stated he referred to as Pichai to complain about bias towards him in Google Search. If there’s an opportunity Trump goes to be the subsequent president, some flattery may avert loads of harm.

Right here’s what we do know: Zuckerberg stated Trump’s response to being shot at was “badass.” Jeff Bezos reportedly killed The Washington Submit’s endorsement of Harris, and executives of Bezos’ Blue Origin met with Trump the identical day the Submit revealed its non-endorsement. 

The folks concerned have denied any allegations of bias or impropriety. In an emailed assertion to The Verge, Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp stated the “temporary greeting was spontaneous and organized last-minute on Friday morning. Nobody may have presumably identified about it prematurely, together with Jeff. It’s ridiculous that anybody would indicate in any other case or check with any quid professional quo. It’s merely not true.” Bezos wrote a justification of the Submit’s non-endorsement, claiming “neither marketing campaign nor candidate was consulted or knowledgeable at any degree or in any means” concerning the choice. Meta spokesperson Dani Lever declined to remark immediately and as an alternative pointed The Verge to a remark made to New York Journal in September: “As Mark has stated publicly, he’s not endorsing anyone on this race and has not communicated to anyone how he intends to vote.” (Apple, the Submit, and Google didn’t reply to requests for remark.)

This isn’t totally new. Bezos and Zuckerberg didn’t personally endorse presidential candidates in 2020. However the Submit did endorse Trump’s opponents in each 2020 and 2016.

No matter their motivations, tech leaders look like hedging their bets. It’s unclear whether or not they’re afraid of potential retribution from Trump, hoping to be rewarded with authorities contracts, or cautious of being topic to further oversight and regulation if Harris wins. However there’s no indication they’ll be secure with Trump within the White Home. 

Undertaking 2025’s Mandate for Management, drafted by Trump allies and former staffers, lays out a roadmap for punishing conservatives’ tech adversaries. (The chapter on the Federal Commerce Fee recommends emulating Europe’s “much less pleasant regulatory atmosphere.”) Trump, too, has stated he’d “do one thing” about Google, and his working mate JD Vance has outright referred to as for a breakup of the corporate. In the meantime, the America First Coverage Institute (AFPI) — a right-wing assume tank that has gotten far much less consideration than the Heritage Basis, the group behind Undertaking 2025 — is advising the Trump marketing campaign and has reportedly drafted almost 300 government orders that may be signed the second he takes workplace. Among the many AFPI’s plans is the creation of a brand new “Manhattan Undertaking” for protection, which the Submit reviews would profit tech corporations that have already got authorities contracts, together with Palantir.

Not like Elon Musk — who has endorsed Trump, appeared at a number of marketing campaign rallies, and reportedly put tons of of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} towards Trump’s reelection effort — Bezos and different tech leaders haven’t gone full MAGA. Nonetheless, their strategic silence suggests they’re getting ready for the potential for a Trump presidency — and for the favors and punishments he’ll dole out if reelected.