The bountiful Silicon Valley Hillary Clinton cashed in on with frequent visits to ultra-expensive fundraisers has suddenly decided, they want to work with their poster child for demonization, President-elect Donald Trump.
The two sides roughed each other up in the presidential campaign with about 90 percent of Silicon Valley executives robotically endorsing Hillary, much the same as the Hollywood elite. Does that mean Trump will now seek vengeance from the high tech Hillary-backers, or will they work together?
Comments like Netflix CEO Reed Hastings didn’t help matters saying, “Trump would destroy much of what is great about America.” Venture capitalist Chris Sacca may be sorry he said in August, “Trump’s erratic behavior, repeatedly demonstrated ignorance of economics, and reckless statements.”
But it appears Trump is more than willing to kiss and make up. Many in Silicon Valley feel the same, as they should considering Trump’s power come January 20th. Now with Trump’s victory, many tech leaders in Silicon Valley are extending an olive branch.
“I for one give him my most open mind and wish him great success in his service to the country,” Jeff Bezos tweeted, two days after the election.
Things have not always been like this. In the past, Trump took his own shots at the industry, floating a boycott of Apple for refusing to crack its encryption for the FBI and accusing Amazon CEO and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos of using his paper as a political weapon against him.
But more of the new attitude is appearing daily from the losers who now want on board the Trump train. Safra Catz, the co-CEO of Oracle, also met with Trump on Thursday and there is speculation she could be tapped for a cabinet post.
There’s more; On Monday, IBM CEO Ginni Rometty wrote an open letter congratulating Trump and offering policy ideas. She suggested a “national corps of skilled workers,” and using technology to improve infrastructure and make government more efficient.
One of the president-elect’s few vocal Silicon Valley billionaire-backers, Peter Thiel, the highest profile-supporter and a member of the transition team, is now a go-between for the hat-in-hand “former supporters” of long gone Hillary Clinton and her political tentacles. It’s a new day in Silicon Valley and the Clinton dynasty has been replaced by Donald Trump, the real estate billionaire no one in the valley thought would win.
