Tech leaders offer support, well wishes for Trump following shock assassination attempt

July 14, 2024 5:45 AM

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In case you didn’t catch the news yesterday, former U.S. president and current 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner Donald J. Trump was shot in the right ear by a would-be assassin during an attempt on his life at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, yesterday, near Pittsburgh.

Trump was reportedly treated for non life-threatening injuries and released from a hospital shortly afterwards. The attack resulted in the death of the would-be assassin and at least one other individual.

The shocking news has galvanized leaders from some of the largest and most notable tech companies in the country to showing support and well wishes for Trump on his recovery, even from former critics of his and targets of his ire.

For instance, billionaire owner/leader of six tech companies Elon Musk, who Trump previously derided on his own social network Truth Social for Musk’s “many subsidized projects, whether it’s electric cars that don’t drive long enough, driverless cars that crash, or rocketships to nowhere, without which subsidies he’d be worthless,” posted a full endorsement of Trump’s 2024 re-election bid on X.

Meanwhile, onetime critic and Amazon founder/ex CEO Jeff Bezos, who in 2015 said he wanted to “reserve [Trump] a seat” on a rocket from his private spaceflight company Blue Origin and posted the hashtag “#SendDonaldtoSpace” back then, yesterday posted on X that he thought Trump “showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire tonight…so thankful for his safety.”

Our former President showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire tonight. So thankful for his safety and so sad for the victims and their families.

— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) July 14, 2024

Apple CEO Tim Cook said on X he would “pray for President Trump’s rapid recovery.”

I pray for President Trump’s rapid recovery. My thoughts are with him, the other victims and the Trump family. I strongly condemn this violence.

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) July 14, 2024

Google CEO Sundar Pichai similarly posted on X that he wished “President Trump a speedy recovery.”

I’m wishing President Trump a speedy recovery. I’m shocked by today’s shooting and loss of life. Political violence is intolerable and we must all come together to strongly oppose it.

— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) July 14, 2024

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella took to X to decry “any type of violence in our society” while “sending my best wishes to President Trump for a speedy recovery.”

There is simply no place for any type of violence in our society. Sending my best wishes to President Trump for a speedy recovery and to all those impacted by today’s horrific event.

— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) July 14, 2024

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted a shorter message on X exclaiming “very glad President Trump is safe!” in his typical lower case sentence starting structure.

very glad President Trump is safe!

— Sam Altman (@sama) July 14, 2024

The outpouring of support and condolences from tech leaders for the former president and current Republican candidate is notable at a time of intense polarization in the country, indicating an effort to foster unity and common decency. Yet some Trump critics will no doubt view the sentiments unfavorably as a boost for him — especially Musk’s full-throated endorsement.

How the tech industry navigates the upcoming 2024 U.S. general election in November remains an ongoing challenge in the face of apparent disinformation and influence campaigns by AI-driven bots, imagery, and other factors.

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