Big Tech CEOs applaud Trump's win
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Then-President Trump meets with tech leaders in 2017 during a meeting of the American Technology Council. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and Apple's Tim Cook were among the Big Tech leaders to take social media to congratulate President-elect Trump on his win Wednesday.
Why it matters: The industry is preparing for new policy positions brought by the new Trump administration, though any of them could quickly shift depending on the president's whims.
Between the lines: The reactions of America's top tech leaders offer the first hint at how CEOs are pivoting their strategy to appeal to an audience of one: the president-elect.
- Trump has reportedly been making note of CEOs and corporations he believes have wronged him or backed his rivals. Business leaders wary of retribution have been reaching out and playing nice, per Axios' Erica Pandey.
- Analysis conducted by the OCR Network and shared with Axios over email shows 13% of Fortune 100 CEOs have publicly addressed the outcome on their personal LinkedIn or Twitter accounts. All but one of these CEOs are from the tech industry.
The big picture: Anti-Big Tech rhetoric is expected to ramp up, and champions of AI deregulation will dominate.
- Personnel picks will determine how aggressive the antitrust approach under the next administration will be, but both Trump and JD Vance have blasted Big Tech consolidation and power.
- Export controls will also be a focus, and managing where sensitive technologies like AI and quantum computing go will likely continue over the next four years.
Yes, but: There's major uncertainty ahead, especially for the semiconductor industry.
What they're saying:
The main message across all of the tweets and posts today is one of collaboration with the new administration.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy was one of the first to comment, congratulating Trump "on a hard-fought victory."
- "We look forward to working with you and your administration on issues important to our customers, employees, communities, and country," Jassy wrote on LinkedIn.
Meta CEO Zuckerberg, who has had a fractious relationship with Trump, posted on Threads congratulating him.
- "We have great opportunities ahead of us as a country," Zuckerberg wrote. "Looking forward to working with you and your administration."
Google CEO Sundar Pichai wrote on X, "We are in a golden age of American innovation and are committed to working with his administration to help bring the benefits to everyone."
OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman posted on X, saying he wishes for Trump "huge success in the job."
- In a separate post, he wrote, "it is critically important that the US maintains its lead in developing AI with democratic values."
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said we're looking forward to engaging with you and your administration to drive innovation forward that creates new growth and opportunity for the United States and the world.
Apple CEO Cook offered congratulation and said, "We look forward to engaging with you and your administration to help make sure the United States continues to lead with and be fueled by ingenuity, innovation, and creativity."
Bezos, who also the owns the Washington Post, on X called the win an "extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory."
- No nation "has bigger opportunities," said Bezos, whose paper saw a spike in subscription cancelations after he ended presidential endorsements just as the its board drafted one for Harris. "Wishing @realDonaldTrump all success in leading and uniting the America we all love."
Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel, wrote on X that he looks forward to "working with their administration to advance America's technology and manufacturing leadership in the world."
Cisco chief executive Chuck Robbins said on X the company "looks forward to working with the incoming Trump Administration and Congress—as well as the governors, state lawmakers, and local officials across the US—to advance policies that bolster connectivity, innovation, cybersecurity, and more."
Michael Dell, CEO and chair of Dell Technologies, said on X, "We look forward to continued progress and opportunity under his leadership and working together toward a strong and unified future for all."
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