Tech CEOs under Trump: Who’s Winning Power, Who’s Losing Influence, and Who’s Fading Quietly

Six months into Donald Trump’s second term, Silicon Valley’s top players are navigating a transformed Washington. The new administration’s hands-off approach to AI, hardline trade posture, and unpredictable public shaming campaign have upended the tech power order.

From Elon Musk’s fall from favor to Sam Altman’s unexpected rise, the scoreboard of tech influence in Trump’s Washington looks very different this time around.

Big Bets and Bigger Payoffs

During the campaign and after the election, tech leaders opened their wallets. Trump’s inaugural committee pulled in millions from companies like Apple, Amazon, Google, Meta, Nvidia, and Palantir. Elon Musk personally contributed close to $300 million — far more than any other tech figure.

But cash alone hasn’t secured lasting loyalty from the president.

Sam Altman, who contributed a relatively modest $1 million, has emerged as one of the administration’s closest allies. Trump praised OpenAI’s involvement in a $500 billion national data infrastructure plan and has embraced Altman’s light-touch vision for AI regulation. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has similarly benefited, positioning his chipmaker at the center of Trump’s export strategy for AI hardware.

Altman and Huang represent a new class of winners: tech leaders who align with Trump’s nationalist tech agenda but avoid legacy baggage.

Who’s Rising, Who’s Reeling

Rising: Sam Altman (OpenAI)

From overflow rooms to center stage, Altman is Trump’s AI darling. The administration’s deregulatory stance on AI has positioned OpenAI for massive growth — especially as Trump fast-tracks domestic data center buildouts.

Rising: Jensen Huang (Nvidia)

Trump has called Huang “a friend,” and Nvidia is riding high on the promise of expanded chip exports to U.S.-aligned nations. AI geopolitics are boosting Nvidia like never before.

Falling: Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX, xAI)

Once a high-profile Trump ally, Musk clashed publicly with the president over regulatory cuts and clean energy policy. He now finds himself sidelined, with Trump threatening to yank government contracts and roll back tax incentives critical to Musk’s businesses.

Falling: Tim Cook (Apple)

Apple’s continued reliance on offshore manufacturing — particularly in India — has drawn Trump’s ire. Unlike in his first term, Trump appears unwilling to carve out tariff exemptions for Cook’s empire.

Neutral: Mark Zuckerberg (Meta)

Meta’s attempt to settle an FTC antitrust suit fell flat, and Trump hasn’t offered much help. Still, the company could gain from deregulation on AI tools and digital platforms.

Neutral: Sundar Pichai (Google)

Despite growing antitrust headaches, Google is winning favor on the AI front. Trump now says he “loves Google” — a sharp contrast to the combative tone of his first term.

Rising: Alex Karp (Palantir)

Though not a vocal Trump ally, Karp’s data analytics firm is gaining more defense and federal contracts as Trump pushes for AI-powered efficiency in government.

Neutral: Jeff Bezos (Amazon)

A brief flare-up over tariffs was quickly diffused, and Amazon now stands to benefit from tax breaks and deregulation — plus an unexpected boost to Bezos’s space firm, Blue Origin, which landed new government contracts.

AI Is In, Antitrust Is Out (For Now)

The clearest signal from Washington is that AI means access. Whether you’re building chips, models, or platforms, being seen as a leader in AI gives you currency in Trump’s White House.

At the same time, antitrust is a thorny issue with no clear winner. Google and Meta face ongoing legal challenges, while Apple’s dominance in the smartphone market is under fire from a multi-state lawsuit. But the Trump administration has yet to show its cards on how aggressively it will pursue Big Tech breakups.

Trade Tensions Resurface

Tariffs remain a wildcard — and a pain point — for global tech firms. Amazon, Apple, and Tesla are especially vulnerable due to their global supply chains. Trump’s threat to expand tariffs on smartphones and other electronics could further strain companies that haven’t reshored manufacturing.

In contrast, firms like Nvidia — which design chips in the U.S. and support U.S.-aligned export strategies — are in a favorable spot.

New Power Map of Tech CEOs Under Trump

Final Word

In Trump’s new Washington, favor isn’t bought — it’s earned through alignment on AI, manufacturing, and messaging. The old guard of Big Tech may have the cash, but it’s the companies building America’s AI future that are setting the political agenda.

Sam Altman might not have had a seat behind Trump at the inauguration, but he’s now got the president’s ear.

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