Top Tech Executives Praise Trump at Exclusive White House AI Dinner

On Thursday, President Donald Trump hosted an exclusive dinner at the White House, bringing together key figures from the artificial intelligence and technology sectors for a rare opportunity to engage with the president. Among the attendees were executives from tech giants including Alphabet, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, and OpenAI.

Meta co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, seated beside Trump, remarked on the significance of the gathering, calling it "quite a group to get together." The dinner underscored a growing alignment between Silicon Valley leadership and the Trump administration’s agenda, with many executives signaling readiness to cooperate or avoid conflict with the president’s policies.

A conspicuous absence was Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, who reportedly declined to attend despite receiving an invitation. Musk arranged for a representative to attend in his place, reflecting a recent strained relationship with Trump.

Companies represented at the dinner highlighted their substantial investments in U.S. data infrastructure designed to "power the next wave of innovation," according to Zuckerberg. Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed gratitude toward Trump for fostering an environment conducive to significant domestic manufacturing investments.

This endorsement follows Trump’s recent threats of trade sanctions targeting nations, especially within the European Union, that impose regulations on American technology firms. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praised Trump as a "pro-business, pro-innovation president," describing the current approach as "a refreshing change."

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, seated beside First Lady Melania Trump, took a more measured tone, emphasizing the potential for artificial intelligence to aid global development. He called the gathering an important forum to explore America’s leadership role in AI, extending benefits internationally, including to impoverished communities. Gates highlighted Trump’s Operation Warp Speed as an example of rapid innovation, although he noted the current administration’s reduction in international aid and vaccine investments since taking office.

Since Trump’s return to office, many tech leaders who were previously critical have shifted stance, engaging more closely with the administration and pledging increased U.S. investments. Some have aligned with Trump’s position on discontinuing diversity initiatives and efforts to counter online misinformation, reflecting an evolving tech-industry relationship with the White House.