SUMMARY
A growing number of tech billionaires, including Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sam Altman, are shifting their stance toward Donald Trump. Once outspoken critics, these business leaders were seen attending Trump’s inaugural celebrations, signaling a change in their approach to the former president.
1 / 5Several tech billionaires and top executives who were once vocal critics of Donald Trump have recently warmed up to him. This shift was evident during Trump’s inaugural celebrations on January 20th, where high-profile figures like Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, and Sundar Pichai were seen attending a church service at St John’s Church. These tech leaders, who previously opposed Trump on issues like climate change and immigration, now seem to be reevaluating their stance. Trump took to social media, joking, “Everybody wants to be my friend!!!,” highlighting his growing influence.
2 / 5Sam Altman: One of the more prominent changes in perspective comes from Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. Initially an outspoken critic of Trump, Altman expressed concerns about Trump’s leadership. However, with the $500 billion Stargate Project—a joint venture involving OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle—endorsed by Trump, Altman has softened his stance. In a tweet, Altman confessed, “Watching @POTUS more carefully recently has really changed my perspective on him. I wish I had done more of my own thinking and definitely fell in the NPC trap. I’m not going to agree with him on everything, but I think he will be incredible for the country in many ways!”
3 / 5Jamie Dimon: CEO of JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, who had been cautious about endorsing Trump in the 2016 election, has shown a willingness to defend some of Trump’s policies. Dimon had previously criticized the rise of Trump’s political influence but more recently defended Trump’s controversial tariffs on countries like China and Mexico. Dimon suggested that critics of these policies should “get over it,” acknowledging that tariffs can sometimes serve as effective tools for economic negotiation. Dimon also praised Elon Musk, comparing him to Albert Einstein during an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos. This marks the apparent end of a long-running feud between their companies.
4 / 5Jeff Bezos: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who once faced harsh criticism from Trump regarding Amazon’s taxes and Bezos’ ownership of The Washington Post, has also toned down his rhetoric. Bezos had frequently targeted Trump during his first term, but recently, he has praised Trump for his “courage under literal fire” following a near-assassination attempt on the former president. Bezos, who is also behind space company Blue Origin, appears to be recalibrating his stance. He has posted about Trump on X (formerly Twitter) twice this year, marking a departure from his previously critical stance.
5 / 5Mark Zuckerberg: Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, who had a rocky relationship with Trump, particularly after the January 6th insurrection, has shifted to a more conciliatory tone. Zuckerberg previously banned Trump from Facebook, but recently called Trump’s election win a “decisive victory” and expressed his eagerness to collaborate with the incoming administration. On Threads, Meta’s competitor to Twitter, Zuckerberg wrote, “We have great opportunities ahead of us as a country.”
