At the White House dinner on Thursday night, Big Tech executives put on an uncanny display of loyalty to Donald Trump. One after another, industry leaders took turns praising the president’s leadership — a striking show of fealty at a moment when their companies face scrutiny over AI, antitrust, and global market dominance.
Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, seated next to Trump, highlighted that the gathered companies were making “huge investments” in U.S. infrastructure, committing $600 billion through 2028 to data centers and new facilities. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, seated beside First Lady Melania Trump, echoed the sentiment, thanking Trump for creating conditions that allowed “major investment in the United States” and the expansion of advanced manufacturing.
OpenAI’s Sam Altman went further, thanking Trump for being a “pro-business, pro-innovation president,” calling the shift “a very refreshing change.” Meanwhile, Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai offered polite acknowledgment but avoided overcommitment.
The notable absence was Elon Musk. The Tesla and SpaceX chief confirmed he was invited but declined to attend, citing scheduling. The White House said his companies were represented. Musk later posted online that his support for Trump remains, though his absence was widely noted.
Winners, Losers, and Neutral
| Category | Tech Leaders | Position at Dinner |
|---|---|---|
| Winners | Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Sam Altman (OpenAI) | Publicly praised Trump’s leadership, tied billions in U.S. investment to his presidency |
| Losers | Sundar Pichai (Alphabet), Satya Nadella (Microsoft) | Present but avoided lavish praise; risk being sidelined in Trump’s second term hierarchy |
| Neutral | Tim Cook (Apple), Lisa Su (AMD), Safra Catz (Oracle) | Attended, expressed support without overcommitting or pledging fresh dollars |
By the Numbers: Big Tech’s Money on the Table
- Meta (Mark Zuckerberg): Pledged $600 billion through 2028 for U.S. data centers and infrastructure.
- Apple (Tim Cook): Tied to $600 billion in U.S. manufacturing commitments, linked to Trump-era tariff negotiations.
- OpenAI (Sam Altman): Aligned his praise with Trump’s $500 billion national data infrastructure plan.
- Tesla/SpaceX/xAI (Elon Musk): Absent from the dinner, but already contributed ~$300 million personally to Trump’s political efforts.
- Others (Bill Gates, Sundar Pichai, Lisa Su, Safra Catz, Satya Nadella): Expressed support but did not announce specific dollar commitments at the dinner.
The Trade Backdrop
Just hours after the dinner, Trump escalated tensions with Europe. On Friday, he threatened to launch a Section 301 trade investigation to nullify what he called “discriminatory” penalties imposed on U.S. tech firms. His remarks followed the European Union’s $3.5 billion fine against Google in a major antitrust case and came as Apple faced pressure over $17 billion in back taxes and penalties.
Trump claimed Europe was “effectively taking money that would otherwise go to American investments and jobs,” framing his defense of Big Tech as both patriotic and economic. On Truth Social, he warned: “We cannot let this happen to brilliant and unprecedented American ingenuity.”
That message echoed the tone of the dinner: Silicon Valley leaders pledging billions to expand in the U.S., while Trump positioned himself as their shield against foreign regulators.
What’s Next
The dinner showed where influence lies in Trump’s second term: with the CEOs willing to align their money and messaging around his priorities. AI deregulation and data center buildouts are fast-tracked, while trade tensions with Europe may reshape global tech alliances.
For companies like Meta and OpenAI, Trump’s support means direct access and favorable policy. For Apple and Google, the path is more complicated — reliant on Trump’s willingness to defend them abroad while pressuring them at home. And for Elon Musk, absence now risks becoming irrelevance later.
Trump’s Washington is rewarding loyalty in dollars and public praise. The question is how long Big Tech can keep balancing that display at home with mounting hostility abroad.
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