The tech industry, known for being “woke,” is now surprisingly supporting a Republican.
Last week, former President Donald Trump hinted he might work with billionaire Elon Musk if he wins the election. Musk responded by saying he’s “willing to serve.”
Though it’s unclear if Musk will join Trump’s administration, this support from Musk signals a major shift. Musk, who voted for Democrats Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020, now backs Trump. He even started a pro-Trump super PAC, despite knowing Trump might cut federal subsidies for electric vehicles, which is a big part of Musk’s business.
Some people, like Mark Cuban from “Shark Tank,” find this support for Trump surprising. But it makes sense to others. They believe Trump is more likely to protect free speech, innovation, and reduce government rules and taxes compared to Kamala Harris.
Nicole Shanahan, the running mate of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also supports Trump. She worries that Harris’ economic ideas, like price controls on food, could hurt the country. She compared Harris’ policies to those that caused a famine in Communist China.
Trump’s platform promises lower taxes and fewer rules for businesses, while the Democratic platform plans to increase taxes on corporations and capital gains.
Many tech leaders are switching sides because they believe Trump will support technology and innovation. For example, Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, leaders of a major venture capital firm, now back Trump because they believe he will reduce regulations.
Other tech figures, like PayPal founder David Sacks and cryptocurrency leaders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, are also supporting Trump.
This shift isn’t just about national politics. Many companies are leaving California due to high taxes and strict rules and are moving to Texas, a more business-friendly state. Austin, Texas, has even become a new tech hub, nicknamed Silicon Hills. Musk recently announced that he is moving his companies, X and Space X, to Texas.
Musk is also a strong advocate for free speech. Recently, he stood up to European Union officials who complained about an uncensored conversation he had with Trump on X, and he shut down X in Brazil rather than comply with government censorship.
Ending government interference is a top priority for Republicans. The Biden-Harris administration has been criticized for pressuring social media companies to follow their agenda. In contrast, Musk’s America PAC is pushing for meritocracy and free speech.
These are not priorities for Harris, which is why more tech money is moving toward Trump. You don’t need advanced technology to figure that out.