- Tech CEOs pivoted hard, and publicly, toward Donald Trump this year.
- Sometimes, it looks like they're not getting anything for their time and money.
- But it's more accurate to say Trump is helping them on some things — and fighting them on others.
Remember when all of those tech CEOs lined up to give Donald Trump money and take photos with him?
They're not getting much for their efforts: Trump has frequently snubbed tech, or worse, since taking office.
That's a fairly standard take this spring, and we have been seeing a new round of it in the last few days, prompted by recent assessments of tech moguls and their relationships with Trump.
The New York Times points out that Apple's Tim Cook, who figured out how to manage Trump during his first administration, is now facing serious tariff trouble. And Bloomberg Businessweek reports that despite Mark Zuckerberg's ostentatiously pro-Trump pivot, Trumpworld remains suspicious of all things Meta — and notes that the federal government is still trying to break the company up.
All of which is true.
It's just that, as with many things Trump, you can't consistently sum up his attitude toward tech. Sometimes he's beating up the industry — and sometimes he's sticking up for it. And sometimes he changes his mind.
It's been a consistent contradiction.
For instance: The Trump administration has repeatedly yelled at Europe about fines and other punishments levied against US tech giants — something that's been a big focus for Zuckerberg and his peers.
And while Trump has once again been insisting that Apple will face tariffs unless it makes its iPhones in the US — despite overwhelming skepticism that this is plausible — that doesn't mean that he'll keep saying it in the future. In April, for instance, Trump's administration removed impending tech tariffs on Apple — and then insisted they could return, all in one weekend.
The Times also suggests that Trump's recent vow to levy 25% tariffs on Apple comes after Trump complained that Tim Cook didn't join him on his recent tour of the Middle East.
On the one hand, that's a bummer for Cook, who now has to clear his calendar for Trump's next junket. On the other hand: Tim Cook visits China all the time because he has to keep China happy. So he can spend a little more face time with Trump, too.
Then yet again: Face time alone doesn't get you everything you want, all the time.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang did come with Trump on his Middle East trip, and Trump praised him for his presence. Not coincidentally: Nvidia is a partner in Trump-blessed plans for massive data centers in the Middle East.
But in April, Trump banned Nvidia from selling its most advanced chips to China — a move Nvidia says cost it $5.5 billion.
So maybe it's more accurate to say tech CEOS are getting something for all the time and money they're investing in Trump. Just not everything.
