Tech at Trump’s inauguration: Visible presence and loud absence
Tech at Trump’s inauguration: Visible presence and loud absence
The imagery was striking: At Donald Trump’s inauguration for his second term, four tech magnates—Elon Musk (X/Tesla), Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), Sundar Pichai (Google), and Jeff Bezos (Amazon)—stood prominently behind the new president, symbolising a deliberate alignment between the Trump administration and Silicon Valley’s power brokers. Yet the carefully choreographed event raised as many questions as it answered. Who was missing, what policies were prioritised, and what do these choices signal about the trajectory of American tech power under Trump 2.0?
The stage: Choreography of tech power
The inclusion of Musk and Zuckerberg was predictable. Musk heavily supported Trump’s campaign and led the Republican pivot of Silicon Valley. Zuckerberg switched sides with Meta’s new content policy. Google’s Sundar Pichai, however, was a surprise attendee, given the company’s leaning towards the Democratic Party and sharp criticisms by Trump in the past. His presence raises the possibility of hidden concessions, potentially due to regulatory or antitrust pressures.
But the omissions were telling. Nvidia and Microsoft—two giants central to the AI hardware and software revolution—were notably absent. Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, whose chips power the AI race, has been a global ambassador for ‘ethical AI’, while Microsoft’s Satya Nadella has championed partnerships with OpenAI under strict safety guardrails. Their absence hints at a Trump White House sidelining critics of its deregulatory tech vision.
AI policy: Dismantling the ‘longtermist’ agenda
The most consequential move came swiftly: Trump repealed Executive Order 14110, the Biden-era mandate prioritising ‘safe, secure, and trustworthy’ AI development. That framework emphasised preemptive risk assessments, cybersecurity standards, and protections against algorithmic bias. Its revocation signals a pivot from precaution to acceleration—a win for Silicon Valley’s ‘move fast and break things’ ethos but a potential trouble for accountable AI developments.
Trump’s team has framed this as a liberation of innovation from ‘bureaucratic overreach’, but critics warn it abandons safeguards against long-term and immediate risks in labour, education, and media. The absence of Microsoft and Nvidia, key players in responsible AI coalitions, underscores this ideological rift.
Digital taxation: A retreat from global rules
The termination of OECD negotiations on digital taxation—a Biden initiative to harmonise corporate tax rules for tech multinationals—aligns with Trump’s ‘America First’ doctrine. By scrapping the talks, the US aims to shield Silicon Valley from European-style levies. While this delights shareholders, it risks retaliatory tariffs and deepens global inequities in taxing the digital economy. Digital taxes will become one of the main fractures in the global digital landscape.
Crypto’s curious omission: A pause or signal?
Surprisingly, no executive order addressed cryptocurrencies, despite Trump’s recent pro-Bitcoin overtures and meme-coin endorsements. The silence leaves the industry in limbo. Some speculate the administration is crafting a separate, industry-friendly bill with Congress, while others see it as a tactical delay to avoid alienating anti-crypto factions in the GOP. Either way, the lack of action contrasts sharply with Trump’s 2024 campaign rhetoric, leaving crypto enthusiasts and sceptics waiting for the next steps.
The bigger picture: A tech cold war mentality
The inaugural theatrics and policy rollbacks reveal a coherent strategy: consolidate power by aligning with corporate leaders who embrace deregulation, prioritise US technological supremacy at all costs, and marginalise dissenters. The repeal of disinformation policies—a nod to Musk and Zuckerberg—further empowers platforms to dismantle content moderation, framing it as a victory for free speech.
However, the absence of Microsoft, Nvidia, and others signals a fragmented industry. Companies that have invested in global cooperation, AI ethics, or climate-focused tech may be disadvantaged. The risk is a two-tiered tech ecosystem: one faction racing toward unchecked innovation under Trump’s banner and another navigating reputational and regulatory blowback abroad.
In this new era, Silicon Valley’s influence is undeniable—but so are the fractures. The question is whether this marriage of convenience will fuel American tech dominance or accelerate its unravelling.
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