logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
32m 22s

Big Tech’s Big Bet on Trump

The New York Times
About this episode

Big Tech’s biggest names are throwing their weight behind Donald J. Trump in the biggest possible way, first as candidate and now as president-elect.

Erin Griffith, who covers tech companies and Silicon Valley for The Times, charts the tech billionaire Marc Andreessen’s journey from top-tier democratic donor to Trump adviser, and explains what it reveals about the growing MAGA-fication of Silicon Valley.

Guests: Erin Griffith, who covers tech companies and Silicon Valley for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Up next
Yesterday
Trump’s Top Aides Spread the Epstein Conspiracy. Now They Are Trying to Kill It.
For months, President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested that they would expose the hidden, potentially sinister truth about Jeffrey Epstein’s death in 2019.But over the past few days, the Trump administrationWhite House decided to shut down has poured cold water on t ... Show More
21m 47s
Jul 8
A Love Letter to Camp Mystic
On Monday evening, the death toll from the flooding in Central Texas rose past 100. A single place accounted for 27 of those deaths: Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls.Erin Paisan, who attended Camp Mystic, explains what the place meant to generations of g ... Show More
25m 9s
Jul 7
A Dark Moment for Journalism — and Devastation in Texas
Last week, when Paramount, the parent company of CBS News, announced a $16 million settlement with President Trump over editing of a segment of “60 Minutes,” many of the network’s journalists were furious.The deal also raised questions about the independence of CBS’s journalism, ... Show More
34m 15s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2024
The tech titans backing Trump
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are vying for Silicon Valley's support. Democrats typically get it. But Elon Musk threw his weight behind Trump in an interview last night on X. The Wall Street Journal's Emily Glazer examines a shift in the valley's values.This episode was produced ... Show More
27m 44s
Aug 2024
Trump, Elon, and Silicon Valley’s Political Sway
Audie talks with journalist Kara Swisher about the rise of Silicon Valley’s big donors and how Trump won some of them over. Plus, how Kamala Harris’ California roots have worked to her advantage with tech donors.Kara is the author of “Burn Book: A Tech Love Story.”  Learn more ab ... Show More
31m 7s
Sep 2024
Why tech billionaires are backing Trump
Elon Musk and other tech billionaires in Democrat-leaning Silicon Valley are backing Donald Trump in 2024. What’s driving this shift, and what could it mean for the presidential race?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Time ... Show More
29m 33s
Aug 2024
Is Silicon Valley going MAGA?
Big names in Big Tech are in for a second Trump presidency, from Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick, JD Vance, to millions of dollars in monthly campaign donations. What’s behind some tech billionaires’ embrace of the right, and how does their vision align with Trump's vision ... Show More
20m 48s
Aug 2024
Tech4Kamala wants to rep Silicon Valley (not just the billionaires)
The tech industry may not be the voting bloc that will matter most come November, but the grassroots group Tech4Kamala is hoping to drown out the billionaire executives backing former President Donald Trump with a groundswell of support from entrepreneurs and workers. On POLITICO ... Show More
15m 46s
Jan 2025
How Democrats Drove Silicon Valley Into Trump’s Arms
The tech investor Marc Andreessen and his fellow Silicon Valley giant Elon Musk weren’t always the Donald Trump supporters they are today. In this episode, Ross asks Andreessen, a founder of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, about what led to Silicon Valley’s rightwar ... Show More
1h 1m
Jul 2024
Silicon Valley is Backing Donald Trump w/ Jacob Silverman
Paris Marx is joined by Jacob Silverman to discuss why tech billionaires have become more supportive of  Donald Trump in the upcoming US election and whether Kamala Harris’ candidacy will disrupt their plans. Jacob Silverman is the co-author of Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino ... Show More
1 h
Dec 2024
The First 100 Days
First: President-elect Trump has an audacious agenda and a plan to carry it out. But did the divide we saw last week inside the GOP signal big problems ahead? Plus: Trump's pick for FCC chair writes what's been perceived as a vaguely threatening letter to Disney boss Bob Iger, pr ... Show More
45m 1s
Aug 2024
Swamp Notes: Is mainstream media old news for Harris and Trump?
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have different approaches to the media: Trump talks a lot, and Harris talks a little. But the candidates share one thing in common: they’re both sceptical of mainstream outlets. The FT’s US managing editor, Peter Spiegel, and Los Angeles bureau chie ... Show More
14m 5s