President Donald Trump hosted a high-profile dinner at the White House, drawing a roster of Silicon Valley’s most influential leaders to discuss artificial intelligence and U.S. investment. The gathering included Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Apple’s Tim Cook, Microsoft’s Bill Gates, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, many of whom have publicly criticized Trump in the past. Elon Musk, once a close Trump ally, was notably absent, with scheduling conflicts and a public falling-out underscoring strains in their relationship.
AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya, both attendees of the dinner, offered an insider account of the event on the “All-In” podcast. “It started with a group that Chamath organized in Silicon Valley. They were the core nucleus, and then more and more people wanted to join,” Sacks said. “Pretty soon, the president invited the top tech leaders, and it turned into the room you saw. It’s pretty amazing—President Trump’s ability to convene all these folks. I’d say maybe half the tech industry was there by market cap.”
Palihapitiya agreed with Sacks, explaining how being in that room “felt surreal.”
“You’re seeing the leaders of the most important companies in the world, all sitting together, with this sense of alignment and cooperation. That was really cool,” Palihapitiya said. “These folks don’t have to show up anywhere, but the fact that the president could convene them says a lot about him and his agenda.”
Palihapitiya said that attendees were “incredibly supportive” of Trump’s policies, which he contrasted with “the difficulties under Biden,” noting that, “Even hard-core liberals like Tim Cook and Bill Gates have now fully embraced President Trump.”
“That’s a testament to his agenda,” he said.
Palihapitiya then offered a play-by-play account of Trump hosting the tech leaders inside the Roosevelt Room. “You’re seeing the most powerful people who’ve built these incredible businesses—about 30 folks, but the table only fits 15. So you’ve got Tim Cook, Sam Altman, and Satya Nadella sitting on a couch, Dylan Field and Alan Wag nearby, just chilling,” Palihapitiya recounted. “In their own worlds, they’re kings, but in the White House, they’re American citizens there to meet the president. Everyone’s egos were checked.”
“Then they had us line up single file – Sundar, Satya, Bill Gates – like we’re backstage at a Zeppelin concert,” he added.
The group’s visit to the Oval Office added a ceremonial touch.
A visit to the Oval Office added ceremony, with attendees like Oracle’s Safra Catz and her husband mingling for photos at the Resolute Desk. An impromptu moment came when Catz’s husband asked for a pen, prompting Trump to hand out challenge coins and pens. Google’s Sergey Brin sparked a policy discussion that carried into dinner, while an attendee’s request for Trump’s playlist led to Fleetwood Mac playing in the Rose Garden, as captured by AMD’s Lisa Su. The camaraderie, however, couldn’t mask the underlying tension: these leaders, once vocal critics, now appeared to prioritize access and influence over their past principles, casting doubt on whether their earlier opposition was genuine or merely posturing for public favor.
The event raised questions about the motives of tech leaders who once opposed Trump. Zuckerberg, who banned Trump from Meta’s platforms in 2021 after the January 6 Capitol riot, had justified the move as a stand against incitement, drawing accusations of censorship from Trump’s supporters. In 2016, Zuckerberg criticized Trump’s immigration rhetoric as divisive during Meta’s F8 conference. Cook, a vocal advocate for social justice, opposed Trump’s 2017 travel ban, calling it “not the right approach,” while Altman compared Trump to “hateful” demagogues.
Oh…
* * *
Get your Rancher-Direct orders in for shipment tomorrow!
Top sellers this week:
Steak Lover’s Bundle (order by tonight)
Rancher’s Classics (order by tonight)
Rancher’s Seasoning Trio
Raw Organic Honey
Vinnie Zuffante / Getty
Kris Connor/Getty Images
