As millions of Americans prepare to vote on November 5, 2024, the race for the presidency is heating up between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, the current Vice President, and former President Donald Trump, who is representing the Republican party. In the background, the tech world—a key player in shaping modern political discourse—has seen some of its most prominent figures align themselves with different political camps. From outspoken endorsements to silent support, the tech industry’s influence on the election is undeniable.
Kamala Harris: Silicon Valley’s Progressive Backers
Kamala Harris has garnered significant support from several influential figures within Silicon Valley, particularly among those who lean toward progressive policies in technology and governance.
Mark Cuban, the billionaire entrepreneur and investor, has openly endorsed Harris, praising her for not being an ideologue. Cuban, who initially supported Trump in 2015, shifted his allegiance due to concerns over the negative impact a second Trump term could have on small businesses.
Vinod Khosla, a Silicon Valley investor known for his backing of high-profile startups like DoorDash and Stripe, has also declared his support for Harris, citing her leadership qualities.
Sheryl Sandberg, the former Chief Operating Officer of Meta (formerly Facebook), wasted no time in endorsing Harris once President Joe Biden withdrew from the race. Sandberg lauded Harris as an accomplished leader, a staunch advocate for abortion rights, and a strong candidate to lead the country forward.
Bill Gates and his ex-wife Melinda French Gates are also backing Harris. Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, has reportedly donated over $50 million to a nonprofit supporting Harris. Melinda Gates, who divorced Bill in 2021, publicly threw her support behind Harris, calling her the “right candidate, right now.”
Reed Hastings, the executive chairman of Netflix, has contributed over $7 million to Harris’s campaign via a Super PAC. Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, joined a group of business leaders in endorsing Harris as well.
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has not publicly backed any candidate, but he did make a donation to the Harris Victory Fund, further indicating his alignment with Harris’s campaign.
Elon Musk and Other Big Tech Players Supporting Donald Trump
On the other side of the aisle, several high-profile tech moguls have thrown their weight behind Donald Trump, marking a shift toward more conservative support within Silicon Valley.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has become one of the most prominent tech figures supporting Trump in 2024. Musk, who remained neutral during the 2020 election, has since become vocal in his support for Trump. The world’s wealthiest man has campaigned actively for the Republican candidate, both on the ground and on X (formerly Twitter), which Musk owns. He has even suggested that he would be open to leading a government department under Trump, signaling his deep involvement in the 2024 election.
Peter Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal and an early investor in Facebook, is another vocal Trump supporter. Thiel has stated that while he will vote for Trump, he has chosen not to make any financial contributions to the campaign, despite offering his support in other ways.
Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, co-founders of the influential venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, are also backing Trump. Both have expressed concerns over what they see as overregulation and high taxation under the Biden administration, which they believe has hindered innovation and stifled the startup ecosystem.
Douglas Leone, the former head of Sequoia Capital, has also expressed his support for Trump, citing issues such as immigration, the national deficit, and foreign policy missteps as reasons for his endorsement.
Tech Executives Remaining Neutral
While some tech leaders have made their positions clear, others have stayed out of the political spotlight altogether.
Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, has not publicly endorsed either candidate. However, there have been reports of Pichai praising Trump privately during the campaign, particularly for his engagement with everyday Americans, such as serving food at a McDonald’s campaign event.
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, is another influential figure who has remained silent publicly. However, Trump has claimed that Cook called him to discuss the company’s regulatory challenges, particularly with regard to antitrust concerns in the European Union.
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, has also remained publicly neutral but reportedly reached out to Trump after a July assassination attempt against the former president.
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has stayed out of the endorsement race, though his influence on the election is notable. Bezos, who owns The Washington Post, reportedly intervened to prevent the newspaper from publishing an endorsement of Kamala Harris. Following this move, more than 200,000 people are said to have canceled their digital subscriptions in protest.
The Impact of Tech on the 2024 Election
The intersection of Silicon Valley and politics is more pronounced than ever in the 2024 election. While the industry remains divided, its influence on both the public discourse and the political process cannot be overstated. The decisions of these tech moguls, whether through direct endorsements, financial contributions, or behind-the-scenes influence, will likely have lasting effects on the policies surrounding technology, regulation, and innovation in the coming years.
As the election approaches, the question remains: Will the tech world’s shifting political allegiances redefine the future of the industry? Or will the clash between progressivism and conservatism in Silicon Valley continue to drive a wedge between technology and politics for years to come? The answer may depend largely on who emerges victorious on Election Day.
