The running list of tech CEOs that Donald Trump claims are appealing to him
Trump’s relationship with Apple CEO Tim Cook is one of the closest the former president has ever shared with a Silicon Valley leader. Cooking sustains relationship with Trump During his time in office, he frequently met with the president and served on advisory boards that influenced policy decisions affecting Apple’s business, such as tariffs and immigration.
Cook has not publicly confirmed that this most recent call took place. Apple did not immediately respond to WIRED’s request for comment.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg
Shortly after Trump’s assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania this summer, the former president claimed that Zuckerberg called him. In an interview with New York magazine, Trump claimed that Zuckerberg said, “‘I will never vote for people who are against you after seeing what you did.'”
A Meta spokesperson disputed what Trump told the magazinesaid, “As Mark has said publicly, he is not endorsing anyone in this race and has not informed anyone of his voting intentions.” (Zuckerberg did not endorse any candidate in the 2016 and 2020 elections and has said he will not participate this cycle either.)
Although Meta did not detail the content of the call, Zuckerberg confirm he called Trump after the assassination, calling “bad ass” former president in July.
“Seeing Donald Trump stand up after being shot in the face and raise his fist in the air with the American flag was one of the worst things I have ever seen in my life,” Zuckerberg said.
Under Trump, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg suffered countless attacks from the Trump administration and conservative lawmakers over accusations of censorship. In 2020, Zuckerberg donated $350 million in pandemic relief to election agencies across the country. Republicans allege these “Zuckerbucks” donations are unfairly distributed to Democratic areas. In 2021, after the January 6 riot at the Capitol, Trump was banned from using Facebook and Instagram.
Blue Origin CEO and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos
Former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was under fire in recent days after he decided that the Washington Post would no longer endorse presidential candidates, even though the newspaper had a Harris endorsement in the works.
Trump does has long criticized Bezos because of his ownership of the Washington Post, but Trump said Bezos called him after the assassination this summer. “It was the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen,” Trump said Bezos told him. “I said, ‘Despite the fact that you own the Washington Post, I appreciate it.’” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, is said to have called So did Trump after the shooting in July.
