Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta Talk with Trump
As the U.S. presidential election remained extremely close until the very end and former President Donald Trump's chances of winning increased, CEOs of major technology companies (Big Tech) have been attempting to improve their relationships with Trump, CNN reported on the 27th (local time).
Former President Trump revealed in an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan on the 25th that Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, called him to express admiration for his campaign event at McDonald's.
On the 20th, Trump visited a McDonald's in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania, personally making French fries and taking orders at the drive-thru. Trump said that CEO Pichai told him, "This is one of the hottest issues. We've never seen anything like this."
According to sources, Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, also recently had a phone call with former President Trump. The sources said Amazon requested the call, which was more of a courtesy greeting.
Additionally, The Washington Post (WP), a media outlet owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, decided for the first time in 36 years not to publicly endorse any candidate in this election. According to the Associated Press, Trump also spoke on the 25th with executives from Blue Origin, the space company founded by Bezos.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, also had two phone calls with former President Trump following the first assassination attempt against him. According to sources, Zuckerberg expressed respect for how Trump handled the shooting incident and wished him a speedy recovery. Although Zuckerberg and Trump were famously "arch-enemies," Zuckerberg has now moved to restore relations. Zuckerberg, previously known as a supporter of the Democratic Party, has distanced himself from Vice President Kamala Harris in this election.
Former President Trump also revealed that on the 18th, he discussed the issue of massive European fines with Apple CEO Tim Cook. At that time, Trump said that if he were elected, he would prevent Europe from abusing fines against American companies.
CNN interpreted the reason Big Tech CEOs are showing close engagement with Trump as an effort to build relationships in preparation for the possibility of his re-election. While not as directly involved as Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, who is actively supporting Trump's election, the actions of Apple, Google, and Amazon could impact the stock market and the outlook for the U.S. economy.
A source close to former President Trump said, "There are people who realize that Trump can be re-elected," adding, "They are listening to what Trump says and taking it seriously."
CNN reported that former President Trump enjoys showcasing his private conversations with Big Tech CEOs and the changes in their relationships, which contrasts with his past blaming them for his 2020 election loss. Regarding Zuckerberg, who had previously been the target of harsh criticism, Trump recently said he has "improved a lot."
Regarding Google, which Trump had criticized in the past for showing stories favorable only to Vice President Harris and unfavorable ones to himself, he said in a radio interview on the 24th, "They have tilted more toward Trump. They have started to like Trump because they are beginning to understand that I will win."
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