Trump Hosts Technology Executives at White House

On Thursday night, President Trump welcomed leading technology executives to a special gathering at the White House, where he prompted attendees to share how much their companies plan to invest in U.S. manufacturing.

Seated at a long table next to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Trump engaged the room after the event had to be moved indoors due to rain. Each participant had a microphone and space in the state dining room.

This event was intended to be the inaugural occasion at the newly renovated Rose Garden.

Zuckerberg remarked, “We don’t come together often as CEOs of various companies, but that’s a good thing.”

Trump inquired about future investments, noting that at least $600 billion is expected to be spent domestically by 2028.

When addressing Google’s founder and CEO Sundar Pichai about a recent court ruling that allowed Google to retain its Chrome browser, Pichai pivoted the conversation to AI, describing the administration’s AI action plan as a “great start.” He disclosed that Google is investing $250 billion.

Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed gratitude for the invitation. When asked by Trump how much his company would invest in the U.S., he mentioned an investment of $600 billion. Cook had met with Trump the previous month to unveil this latest investment commitment.

Notably absent was Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who had previously served as a special advisor to Trump but had since distanced himself from the administration. A representative from a well-known mask company was also missing.

Trump remarked at the event’s outset that he “knows all of them indirectly” and, while he knows some quite well, he is familiar with each attendee through extensive research on their businesses.

As the discussions moved around the table, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, sitting next to the First Lady, shared insights into his health innovation projects, particularly regarding vaccines and AI in healthcare for Africa.

Gates had previously criticized Musk for his impact on government efficiency, accusing him of “killing the poorest children in the world” due to budget cuts at the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Next to Zuckerberg was venture capitalist David Sachs, who has been appointed to focus on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency for the White House.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin commented on Trump’s stance toward Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, labeling it “civil rights work.” When prompted to speak, he also praised Guerrelin Gilbert Soto, referring to her as “his truly amazing Magazine girlfriend.”

Finally, Lisa Su, CEO of Advanced Micro Devices, expressed gratitude for the support of AI during the discussions.