Despite his legal setbacks, Donald Trump is gaining ground in Silicon Valley. Iconic tech figures are supporting the Republican candidate, attracted by his libertarian vision and his opposition to regulation. This new situation could reshuffle the cards of the American presidential election.
A quiet revolution is underway in Silicon Valley. Donald Trump, long a persona non grata in the cradle of American technology, is making a major breakthrough. The Republican candidate recently raised $12 million at an event in San Francisco, his first visit in a decade, attracting donors willing to pay as much as $300,000 for a seat.
The former US president was welcomed in San Francisco by two local investors, David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya. Although less known than figures like Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk, these entrepreneurs exert a certain influence in their field.
David Sacks, a libertarian Republican, is one of the founders of PayPal, while Chamath Palihapitiya held a senior position at Facebook and was previously a vocal supporter of Barack Obama.
“Digital Wild West”
This unexpected turnaround can be explained by several factors. Tech giants, tired of the Biden administration’s regulatory policies, see Trump as a champion of the “digital Wild West.” His libertarian vision, advocating unfettered freedom of expression and unbridled entrepreneurship, appealed to investors in the San Francisco Bay Area.
And then there is the rejection of Biden policies. The Democratic administration is preparing antitrust investigations against the three AI musketeers: Nvidia, Microsoft and OpenAi. The initiative, led in part by Lina Khan, the chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission appointed by Joe Biden, wants to eliminate potential anticompetitive practices. Enough to raise the hackles of Silicon Valley.
Cracks in the alliance
The alliance is not without its flaws. On topics such as the supervision of artificial intelligence or electric vehicles, opinions diverge. Elon Musk, an emblematic figure in tech, illustrates this ambivalence: critical of some of Donald Trump’s positions, he would nevertheless consider an advisory role in a potential Trump administration.
The emergence of a “geek right” in Silicon Valley marks a turning point. Beyond the financial aspect, it is access to a gold mine of data and algorithms that is at stake. The specter of the Cambridge Analytica scandal looms large, reminding us of the potential impact of these resources on an election .
>> Read also: But what (really) happened with Cambridge Analytica?
Silicon Valley, long a Democratic stronghold, is at a crossroads between support for Trump and loyalty to its traditional values. The outcome of this ideological and economic tug-of-war could have repercussions far beyond California’s borders.
Miruna Coca-Cozma
