Tech CEOs Praise Trump at White House Dinner/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump hosted top tech executives at a White House dinner, where leaders including Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Sam Altman praised his pro-business approach. The event highlighted industry calls for lighter regulation on AI and innovation investment. Elon Musk, although invited, did not attend.
Trump’s Tech Dinner: Quick Looks
- Trump hosted tech elites at White House State Dining Room.
- Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft’s Bill Gates, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman attended.
- Executives praised Trump’s leadership and pro-business stance.
- Meta pledged $600 billion in U.S. investments through 2028.
- Gates emphasized growth in advanced U.S. manufacturing.
- Altman hailed Trump as “pro-innovation” and “refreshing.”
- Elon Musk skipped event, citing scheduling conflicts.
- Trump joked with Zuckerberg during an awkward press moment.
Deep Look: Tech Titans Praise Trump at White House Dinner Amid AI Regulation Debate
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a striking show of public praise, some of the most influential figures in technology gathered at the White House Thursday night, lauding President Donald Trump during a private dinner in the State Dining Room. Among the high-profile guests were Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman—all offering tributes to Trump’s pro-business leadership and regulatory posture, particularly on artificial intelligence.
A Strategic Moment in Tech Policy
The dinner comes as Big Tech faces increasing scrutiny from regulators. While Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson remains a vocal critic of large tech monopolies, many in the industry are lobbying for lighter-touch regulation—especially as the U.S. races to lead global AI development.
Praise from the Power Players
Mark Zuckerberg, seated next to Trump, thanked the president for hosting the gathering and emphasized Meta’s massive investment commitment.
“We’re making huge investments in the U.S. to build out data centers and infrastructure to power the next wave of innovation,” he said, announcing Meta’s pledge of $600 billion through 2028.
Bill Gates, sitting beside First Lady Melania Trump, commended the administration’s tone toward domestic innovation.
“We were able to make a major investment in the United States and expand advanced manufacturing here because of the administration’s direction,” Gates remarked.
Sam Altman of OpenAI echoed the sentiment, calling Trump’s approach “a very refreshing change.”
“You’re a pro-business, pro-innovation president,” Altman said. “I think it’s going to set us up for a long period of global leadership in technology.”
These statements underline a shift in the relationship between Silicon Valley and Washington, with top executives seemingly aligning more closely with Trump’s vision for technological advancement and minimal regulation.
Musk Absent, But Invited
One conspicuous absence was Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and a former Trump adviser. Musk confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that he had been invited but was unable to attend. A White House spokesperson verified that Musk’s company had been represented at the event, though not by Musk personally.
His absence drew some attention, given his ongoing public visibility and past alignment with parts of Trump’s policy platform.
A Political Moment for Zuckerberg
During the dinner, a reporter questioned Zuckerberg about free speech issues in the UK, catching the Meta CEO visibly off guard. Before he could answer, Trump interjected with a joke:
“This is the beginning of your political career,” the president quipped, drawing laughter from the room. “He didn’t think he’d get that question! He’s looking at me and saying, ‘How the hell… how did I get that question?’”
Later, as the press exited the room, Zuckerberg was caught in a hot mic moment telling the president,
“Sorry, I wasn’t ready…”
Behind the Optics: Policy, Power, and AI
Though the evening was framed as a celebration of innovation, it also underscored deeper policy undercurrents. The dinner serves as a symbolic alignment between Trump’s administration and Big Tech interests at a critical moment when AI regulation is emerging as a flashpoint.
Executives are eager to ensure the U.S. remains globally competitive and are turning to political allies who support investment over intervention.
The timing is notable. As the FTC continues its antitrust enforcement efforts, tech companies are looking to the White House to influence the regulatory tone, especially on AI infrastructure, data privacy, and algorithmic accountability.
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