Silicon Valley has always had a complex relationship with political power. But when Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, pressed (still in the counting process) "send" on his tweet congratulations, has triggered a cascade of messages from the most influential tech CEOs that can tell us a lot about contemporary power dynamics.
The dance of power begins
The first to move, as mentioned, was precisely Bezos, previously called a “clown” (“Jeff Bozo”) by the new president. His carefully calibrated tweet speaks of an “extraordinary political comeback” and a “decisive victory,” with a quick wipe out of years of tensions and threats to Amazon. A change of direction that paved the way for all the others.
At that point, the waltz of congratulations from the other major Tech CEOs began, like new Three Wise Men in the presence of the King of Kings. Mark ZuckerbergCEO Meta, followed closely behind. The same man who had kicked Trump out from his social media, and that Trump had threatened to “send to prison.” Now the redeemed Mark has used Threads, to send his greetings. Yes, the very social network launched to make shoes (without succeeding) to Elon Musk's Platform X, Trump's new Pygmalion.
A volte-face that reaches new heights of servility, and takes on even more interesting contours if one considers that Zuckerberg had already begun calling Trump “tough” during the election campaign.
The full orchestra
As in a perfect symphony, the other CEOs also joined the chorus. Sundar Pichai di A speaks (of course on X, to pay homage to the standard-bearer of the new president) of the “golden age of American innovation”, while Tim Cook di Apple (already derided as “Tim Apple” by Trump) expresses his enthusiasm for the future collaboration.
And all, absolutely all Tech CEOs will have to pass under the Caudine Forks of the “tarot fool”: another underdog uselessly attacked, and now more in control than ever. You know who I'm talking about, right? I'll open a parenthesis, then I'll finish the list of “obsequious” ones.
The Musk Case
Elon Musk emerges as the big winner of this transition. With a $120 million investment in Trump's campaign and a strategic evening at Mar-a-Lago, the CEO of Tesla positions itself as the ideal bridge between Silicon Valley and the new administration.
CEO Tech, there really is no one missing
The contrast with the past is stark. The same tech CEOs who had openly criticized Trump's policies are now quickly falling into line. Satya Nadella di Microsoft now he says he is “impatient” to work with the new administration, while Andy jassy (always Amazon) speaks of a “hard-won victory.”
The reasons for pragmatism
Behind this apparent unanimity lies a more complex, yet easily understandable, reality. Government contracts represent a significant portion of revenues for many of these companies.
The shoe shine race I am witnessing actually reveals an important characteristic of the technological power that risks ferrying the world towards a new technocratic feudalism. It reveals, to be precise, how far the tech sector is willing to bend to maintain these privileged relationships.
Watching a group of billionaires and millionaires behave in such a servile manner might be a little disconcerting.
CEO Tech, the show goes on
This power play is just the beginning. In the coming months, we will likely see these same tech CEOs personally heading to Mar-a-Lago or the White House, in what promises to be a long process of strategic repositioning.
The transformation of the relationship between political and technological power highlights a fundamental reality: in an economy increasingly dependent on technology, the giants of Silicon Valley are fully entering the logic of political power. And in some ways they are becoming “apprentices” (to use a term dear to Trump) of their future role. A dynamic that promises to redefine the American technological landscape in the coming years.
History teaches us that real power can be very pragmatic, and Silicon Valley is no exception. Today it kisses the ring: tomorrow, perhaps, it will wear it.
