• Trump claims private support from tech leaders.
• Elon Musk openly backs Trump’s re-election.

According to former President Donald Trump, some of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful people have privately praised him, showering him with compliments and implying they’d fare better under his leadership. While most major tech executives haven’t publicly endorsed Trump—save for one notable exception—he claims they’ve hinted at their support behind closed doors.

As reported by The Verge, among the alleged conversations are: Google CEO Sundar Pichai supposedly called Trump to commend his time as a McDonald’s worker, calling it “one of the biggest things we’ve seen on Google.” Apple’s Tim Cook reportedly phoned Trump to complain about European Union fines against Apple, while Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg allegedly apologised to Trump multiple times, assuring him there was “no way” he’d support a Democrat after a near-incident involving Trump in Pennsylvania.

If true, it’s a surprising shift from leaders Trump has openly criticised, previously having accused their companies of “manipulating” votes, “rigging” search results, and generally being “anti-Trump.” It’s not all one-sided, either: Amazon, for instance, has accused Trump of using “improper pressure” to steer the Pentagon away from awarding it a defence contract worth billions.

Of course, it’s entirely possible that the tech leaders aren’t actually cozying up to Trump or that Trump—a known exaggerator—is spinning fairly mundane conversations into something more flattering. It’s also likely that, despite their wealth, Zuckerberg, Pichai, Cook, and other tech executives find themselves in the same uncertain political landscape as everyone. With polls showing the upcoming election as a near toss-up, they may feel it’s better to stay in Trump’s good graces, just in case. If Trump returns to office, his track record of making decisions based on personal grudges means a bit of diplomatic flattery could prevent future fallout.

It’s not hard to see the reasoning. Trump has shown that his policy decisions can be deeply personal. In September, he threatened to take action against Google, alleging it “illegally” prioritised negative stories about him over positive ones for Vice President Kamala Harris. He later claimed he personally called Pichai to complain about the alleged bias. If there’s a real chance Trump might win, friendly gestures could go a long way.

So, what do we know for sure? Reports indicate that Zuckerberg called Trump’s reaction to being attacked “badass,” and Jeff Bezos reportedly halted The Washington Post’s endorsement of Harris. Executives at Bezos’s Blue Origin also met with Trump the same day the Post issued its non-endorsement.

Officially, all parties involved have denied allegations of bias. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp issued a statement saying that the “brief greeting” with Trump was “spontaneous and arranged last-minute” and insisted that neither Jeff Bezos nor anyone else knew in advance. Bezos himself defended the Post’s editorial stance, stating no candidate or campaign was consulted on the decision. Meta’s spokesperson declined to comment directly on Trump, instead referring to an earlier statement noting that Zuckerberg isn’t endorsing anyone in the race and has made no statements about his personal vote.

This approach isn’t new. Neither Bezos nor Zuckerberg endorsed a presidential candidate in 2020, although the Post did endorse Trump’s opponents in both 2016 and 2020.

Whatever their motivations, it seems some tech leaders are hedging their bets. Whether they’re trying to avoid potential retaliation from Trump, hoping to secure government contracts, or simply avoiding stricter oversight if Trump’s opponent wins, they’re not making their allegiances entirely clear.

Trump’s allies have already laid out plans for what’s next. Project 2025’s “Mandate for Leadership,” created by former staffers, outlines steps for holding tech companies accountable. Trump himself has also indicated he’d “do something” about Google if re-elected, while his running mate, JD Vance, has openly called for breaking up the company.

Meanwhile, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) has quietly prepared nearly 300 executive orders ready for Trump to sign if he returns to office, with initiatives like a new “Manhattan Project” for defence that could benefit tech companies already tied to government contracts, such as Palantir.

Unlike Elon Musk—who has endorsed Trump, appeared at several campaign rallies, and reportedly put hundreds of millions of dollars toward Trump’s re-election effort—Bezos and other tech leaders haven’t gone full MAGA.

Trump already counts Musk, owner of X and Tesla, as a vocal supporter and major financial backer, with Musk reportedly funnelling over US$100 million into efforts to get Trump re-elected. Musk had previously suggested he wouldn’t donate to either campaign following a March meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

But lately, he’s been raising eyebrows by offering daily US$1 million cash prizes to people who register to vote and sign a petition supporting free speech and gun rights—a move that the Department of Justice has cautioned may be legally questionable. Musk has put at least $118 million into a super PAC supporting Trump’s campaign, making him a powerful ally.

And he’s not the only tech billionaire showing support; other Silicon Valley executives are also leveraging their platforms and fortunes to help Trump’s White House bid.

Still, while Musk has taken an open stance, Bezos, Zuckerberg, and other leaders have stayed strategically quiet. Their approach seems more cautious. Their silence might suggest they’re preparing for the possibility of a Trump presidency and the rewards or challenges that could come with it.