Trump Basks in Tech Titans’ Praise at White House Dinner

4 September 2025

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump dine with top U.S. tech executives in the White House on Sept. 4. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty

At an evening gathering on September 4, 2025, President Trump welcomed an assembly of America's most influential tech leaders in the White House’s State Dining Room. The atmosphere was one of admiration and strategic alignment. Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg praised the group’s infrastructure investments intended to power future innovations, noting the breadth and ambition of their commitments.

Bill Gates reflected on the transformative work of the assembled companies and emphasized America’s role in leading technological progress. Apple’s Tim Cook expressed gratitude for an environment conducive to major U.S.-based investment and advanced manufacturing. OpenAI’s Sam Altman lauded the president as a pro-innovation leader whose backing sets the stage for continued global technological leadership.

Google founder Sergey Brin also participated, though his remarks were somewhat overshadowed by lighter banter Trump referred to Brin’s partner as a “really wonderful MAGA girlfriend.” Noticeably absent was Elon Musk, whose absence followed a public rift with the administration. Despite that, the gathering underscored the close collaboration between the administration and the tech industry in championing technology-driven economic growth.

The event carried both spectacle and substance. Known as the “high IQ group,” the assembled executives including Zuckerberg, Gates, Cook, Altman, Brin, and others engaged in warm exchanges with the president and reiterated broad investment pledges. Meta and Apple each committed around $600 billion, Google pledged $250 billion, and Microsoft projected annual U.S. investments of $75–80 billion.

Several CEOs specifically thanked Trump for his AI-forward policies and business-friendly stance. Sundar Pichai expressed relief after antitrust tensions eased, while others like Satya Nadella and Sam Altman emphasized Trump’s role in accelerating AI development and fostering an environment positioned to bolster U.S. global leadership in tech.

The carefully choreographed event highlighted more than just technological ambition. It served as a stage for strategic alignment between Silicon Valley’s power brokers and the Oval Office, spotlighting mutual interests in AI, infrastructure, and policy shaping. Whether driven by genuine admiration or political necessity, the leaders’ praise echoed the administration’s vision of America as a global tech powerhouse.