Prominent tech CEOs and billionaires from across the political spectrum have spoken out in a rare show of unity following the assassination attempt at a rally of President Donald Trump on Saturday.
Business Insider Reports The technology world was shocked into action on Saturday after reports of an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. The incident, which left at least two people dead, including the suspect, and two others seriously injured, sparked immediate and widespread reactions from some of the tech industry’s most powerful people.
As details of the shooting emerged, social media platforms became the medium of choice for technology industry leaders to voice their thoughts, concerns, and in some cases, political allegiances. Responses ranged from direct condemnations of the violence to more nuanced political statements, highlighting the complex intersection of technology, politics, and public safety in today’s digital age. Their reactions stand in stark contrast to the average leftist who trended the X/Twitter hashtag “How do you miss” and wished Trump death.
Mark Cuban is a left-wing billionaire known for appearing on TV shows. Shark Tankwas one of the first to respond. Cuban, a staunch supporter of far-left values, wished Trump safety and praised the Secret Service for their efforts to protect him. “And hope they catch the idiot who did this. This is not the way to do it,” Cuban wrote on X.
We can only hope that the former president is safe and that no one else was injured.
And let’s hope the idiot who did this gets caught. This is not a good way to do things.
And I’d like to thank the Secret Service for risking their lives to protect the former President.
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 13, 2024
Tesla CEO Elon Musk took this incident as an opportunity to publicly support President Trump, saying, “I fully support President Trump and wish him a speedy recovery.” Musk had previously stated that he would avoid donating funds to 2024 presidential candidates, so his sudden declaration of support was surprising, but it had been previously reported that the CEO had donated to a pro-Trump super PAC.
I fully support President Trump and wish him a speedy recovery. pic.twitter.com/ZdxkF63EqF
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 13, 2024
Other big tech companies have taken a more measured approach. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a thread that he was praying for “President Trump’s speedy recovery.” Apple CEO Tim Cook, known for his neutrality in US politics, posted on X, “I am praying for President Trump’s speedy recovery. My thoughts are with him, the other victims, and the Trump family. I strongly condemn this act of violence.”
I wish President Trump a speedy recovery. My thoughts are with him, the other victims, and the Trump family. I strongly condemn this act of violence.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) July 14, 2024
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos broke a nine-month social media silence to praise President Trump’s “extraordinary grace and courage under literal attack.”
Tonight, our former president showed extraordinary grace and courage under literal attack. I am so grateful that he is safe and my heartfelt condolences go out to the victims and their families.
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) July 14, 2024
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella called the incident a “horrifying event” at X and stressed that “violence of any kind has no place in our society.”
Violence of any kind has no place in our society, and we offer our heartfelt prayers for President Trump’s speedy recovery and for all those affected by today’s horrific events.
— Satyanadella (@satyanadella) July 14, 2024
Similarly, Google CEO Sundar Pichai wished the former president a “speedy recovery”, adding that political violence was “unacceptable” and that we should all unite against it.
I wish President Trump a speedy recovery. I am shocked by today’s shooting and loss of life. Political violence is unacceptable and we must all unite to strongly oppose it.
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) July 14, 2024
The responses also reveal a range of political engagement among tech CEOs. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff is also a far-left figure, but he remains neutral and focuses on healing and unity. “May his body be healed, his mind at peace, and his soul at peace. May he be blessed with strength, courage, and a speedy recovery. There is no place for political violence in our country,” he wrote.
I pray for President Trump’s full and speedy recovery. May his body be healed, his mind calmed and his soul comforted. May he be blessed with strength and courage and regain his health quickly. There is no place for political violence in our country. ❤️🇺🇸
— Marc Benioff (@Benioff) July 14, 2024
Bill Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, used the opportunity to announce that he would be supporting Trump in the upcoming election, promising a longer post explaining why.
I will officially support Donald TrumpI made this decision a while ago as many people have made this decision. @Batsu His followers already know this from posts supporting Trump and posts criticizing him. president Biden.
The reason I haven’t officially done so yet is because I want to explain my…
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) July 14, 2024
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Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering free speech and online censorship.
