SAN FRANCISCO: Silicon Valley, once a stronghold of Democratic politics, is undergoing a transformation as more individuals, seemingly motivated by Elon Musk, publicly show their support for Donald Trump, AFP reported.
The South African-born tech mogul is leading this change, committing nearly $100 million to the Republican’s presidential campaign and leveraging his X social media platform while personally campaigning in crucial swing states to bolster Trump’s bid for the presidency.
“Musk is respected by many in Silicon Valley,” remarked tech entrepreneur and author Vivek Wadhwa, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Musk’s backing of Trump has amplified ideological currents that have quietly existed in California’s tech community, with figures like Peter Thiel—who worked alongside Musk at PayPal 25 years ago—now taking center stage.
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David Sacks, a PayPal veteran and Thiel’s college friend, co-hosted a high-profile fundraiser for Trump in San Francisco in June and addressed the Republican nominating convention.
Nick Pinkston, founder and CEO of Volition, noted that many conservative voices, guided by libertarian principles and spearheaded by Thiel, have always been part of the landscape. “Some of these individuals were already conservative, and now they feel more empowered to express their views,” he said.
