Last night, President Trump hosted a high-profile dinner at the White House, attended by top tech leaders, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who were seated next to Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.
The event, held in the State Dining Room after a forecast of thunderstorms moved it from the newly renovated Rose Garden, followed an AI education summit led by Melania Trump. Attendees, including Apple’s Tim Cook, Google’s Sundar Pichai, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, praised Trump’s pro-business and pro-innovation policies, with Zuckerberg announcing Meta’s $600 billion investment in U.S. infrastructure through 2028 and Gates commending Trump’s leadership in advancing healthcare innovation.
The dinner represented Trump’s deepening ties with Silicon Valley, a shift from his historically contentious relationship with Big Tech, as leaders discussed AI policy and U.S. investments. However, the absence of Elon Musk, once a close ally, underscored a public falling out, with Musk sending a representative instead.
Some of Trump’s supporters expressed disappointment over his association with Zuckerberg and Gates, citing their past anti-Trump stances and controversial actions. Critics pointed to Zuckerberg’s history of Facebook censorship, particularly against conservative voices, and Gates’ advocacy for mRNA vaccines, which some view skeptically. On X, posts reflected this unease, with some labeling the tech moguls as “monsters” and questioning Trump’s decision to host them. Others speculated that Trump’s approach might reflect a “keep your enemies closer” strategy to align tech giants with his administration’s goals. The event sparked debate among supporters, with some seeing it as a pragmatic move to secure economic commitments, while others believe it sends a problematic message given the tech leaders’ past antagonism.
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