Tech CEOs Courting Trump at Mar-a-Lago: A Strategic Shift in Relations

Tech executives court Donald Trump through Mar-a-Lago dinners to avoid stringent regulations.

### Tech Titans Court Trump: A Shift in Dynamics
* 🗺️ Tech executives are flocking to Mar-a-Lago, a stark contrast to the 2016 Trump Tower meeting where attendance felt more **coercive**.
* 🤝  Unlike the 2016 meeting, this time, tech leaders are engaging in more **friendly** interactions with Trump, including dinners at Mar-a-Lago.
* 🍽️  The dinners present an **awkward dynamic**, particularly for competitors like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, who often find themselves seated together.
* 💰  Executives are making donations and **showing off** innovations, hoping to influence the incoming administration's policies.
* 🤔  The motivations are diverse, but a common goal is to avoid **stringent regulations** on their technologies, especially AI.
* ⚖️  Companies fear potential **hampering of AI growth** or other negative consequences if they don't cultivate a positive relationship with Trump.
* 🤝  The tech leaders are prioritizing **building relationships** with Trump, believing this will be crucial for navigating the next four years.
* ✨  Ultimately, the strategy revolves around **public displays of affection** to ensure Trump's favor and influence policy decisions.

Some names we already know very well, but I'm sure a few more are trying to line up for a dinner invitation. Yeah. I mean, everyone seems to be making their way to Mar-a-Lago. There's a very different feel this time

around. Carolina, as you may recall, from 2016. At that point, Trump held that famous meeting in Trump Tower where all the tech executives ended up coming, but it felt more like they were almost forced to be there. Right.

And they were dealing with their employees back at headquarters, mostly in Silicon Valley, complaining and protesting. This time, it feels different. They're going sort of one by one. They're having dinner at Mar-a-Lago. They're being very friendly.

And I think the awkward situation here is that Elon Musk is... All right. Because all of these people are competitors in some way or another, to Elon or his companies. And often when they're showing up to dinner, in some cases like Jeff Bezos

from Amazon, Elon Musk is at the table. Right. And how much can you really say to Donald Trump? How much can you really accomplish when one of your biggest enemies is sitting right there across the table from you?

Certainly, space competition fears between Blue Origin and SpaceX cut in. But ultimately, what do you think they will achieve by giving small, in the case of the balance sheets, amounts towards Trump's inauguration? And indeed, these meetings where they're

showing off, I think Mark was showing off the meteor glasses and the latest innovations to President-elect Trump going forward. How is this sort of dovetailing into actually what they want to see from a legislative agenda?
Yeah, I think everyone sort of is in

agreement that the best way to stay on Donald Trump's good side is to praise and to show up and sort of demonstrate that with a public display of affection. Right.
Whether that be a $1,000,000 donation to the inaugural fund.
Showing up to dinner and making that

trek across the country to be there in person. And every one of these companies wants something different. But I think generally, if you want a blanket statement, they don't want him to come in hard with regulation around all the technology they're building,

especially with regards to A.I.
Right? Like the last thing Mark Zuckerberg wants, for example, is for the Trump administration to suddenly say, "Hey,
we're going to try to hamper this A.I. growth or we're going to make it very difficult for you, Mark Zuckerberg, in

particular, because you didn't show up to Mar-a-Lago and make Trump feel special," right?
And so I think they are all doing what they need to do just to simply be in his good graces and hope that those

relationships, because they are so important to the incoming president, those relationships will ultimately help them make their road easier over these next four years.

Trump Marvels at Tech Titans' Attention

Welcome to the Bloomberg Technology YouTube channel. Subscribe for original series and mini-docs on game-changing technologies, profiles on innovators, live conversations with experts, and breaking technology news & analysis from Bloomberg TV.

Bloomberg Technology

Contrast between 2016 and current tech executive meetings with Trump

Many tech executives are visiting Mar-a-Lago, creating a different atmosphere than in 2016.

The 2016 Trump Tower meeting felt more like a forced obligation for tech executives.

Current meetings are more individual and friendly, with dinners at Mar-a-Lago.

The presence of competitors like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos at the same dinners creates an awkward dynamic.

Motivations and potential outcomes of tech executives' actions

Limited communication possibilities with Trump due to the presence of competitors.

Questioning the effectiveness of small donations and showcasing innovations to Trump.

The consensus is that showing public affection towards Trump is the best strategy.

Methods include donations, personal appearances, and showcasing innovations.

Tech companies' goals and concerns regarding Trump's administration

Companies want to avoid strict regulations, particularly concerning AI.

Fear of negative consequences for not showing support to Trump.

The goal is to maintain good relations with Trump to ensure easier operations in the future.

Strong relationships with the president are crucial for navigating the next four years.