Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has seen a surge of big tech companies lining up to court his favor. SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son and Japan’s $100 billion investment plan have showcased the depth of corporate enthusiasm for the new administration.
However, it remains unclear how SoftBank will fund this pledge, which echoes its 2016 promise of $50 billion in US investments and 50,000 jobs, albeit without a clear outcome during Trump’s first term. The commitment came as Amazon, Meta, Perplexity, and OpenAI executives contributed millions to his inaugural fund.
Meanwhile, the tech giants are flocking to Mar-a-Lago for meetings with Trump, who has stated that he wants friends, not enemies, in his second term. Notably, TikTok’s Shou Zi Chew attended a meeting as the app seeks rescue from an impending ban.
As trade tensions escalate between China and Mexico, US dollar rally predictions hinge on Trump’s stance on tariffs. Corporate executives are trying to influence him to soften his stance, but so far, with little success.
A recent settlement between ABC News and Trump has raised concerns about journalistic freedom, as experts warn that it may embolden similar defamation suits from other parties.
Source: https://www.ft.com/content/b592f1e2-02d7-4891-a4a0-c18d72af4d3b