Trump Hosts Big Tech Leaders at White House: AI at the Center of U.S. Innovation Strategy

President Donald Trump welcomed a “who’s who” of Silicon Valley to the White House for a high-level dinner focused on strengthening U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor production.

Among the attendees were Bill Gates, Tim Cook, Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sam Altman, alongside more than a dozen other leaders in technology and AI.

Key Highlights

• Microsoft’s Satya Nadella praised the administration for creating policies that ensure the U.S. “leads the world” in technology.

• OpenAI’s Sam Altman called Trump a “pro-business, pro-innovation president,” crediting him with laying the foundation for long-term U.S. leadership.

• Apple’s Tim Cook announced plans to invest $600 billion in U.S. operations, citing Trump’s policies for fostering a strong innovation environment.

Trump emphasized the need to secure sufficient electricity for AI data centers and pledged to reduce regulatory barriers at the federal level.

Notable Absences

Elon Musk (Tesla) and Jensen Huang (Nvidia) did not attend the dinner. Musk, who has had public disagreements with Trump earlier this year, sent a representative. Huang reportedly prefers private, issue-focused meetings with the administration.

Public Reaction

While the White House dinner showcased alignment between government and Big Tech, social media reactions were overwhelmingly critical, with users mocking the tone of the evening:

• “Like a kindergarten birthday party where everyone has to say something nice about the host.”

• “Feels like an episode of South Park.”

• “A masterclass in flattery.”

Broader Context

Earlier in the day, tech leaders including Altman, Pichai, and IBM’s Arvind Krishna attended the White House Task Force on AI Education, hosted by First Lady Melania Trump.

The dinner highlighted the administration’s push to make the U.S. the global leader in artificial intelligence and innovation, but also underscored a growing gap between institutional narratives and public perception.