Apple CEO Tim Cook has joined the growing list of tech leaders visiting President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, signaling a strategic effort by Silicon Valley executives to build ties with the incoming administration.
Cook met with Trump at the resort on Friday, marking their first face-to-face meeting since an earlier phone call in October. According to Trump, the call focused on the European Union’s $15 billion fine against Apple, a topic of shared interest between the company and the president-elect. Neither Apple nor Trump’s team has commented on the details of their recent discussion.
Cook’s visit comes as other prominent tech figures align themselves with Trump’s return to the White House. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has pledged $1 million to the inaugural fund, while Amazon, under the leadership of Jeff Bezos, plans to donate $1 million in cash and stream the January 20th ceremony through Prime Video. Trump has also hinted at a forthcoming meeting with Bezos, despite their past clashes.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently made his own trip to Mar-a-Lago and has committed $1 million to the inaugural fund. These overtures from tech giants suggest a shift in the industry’s approach to engaging with Trump’s administration, particularly after his decisive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the November election.
Following the election, Cook publicly congratulated Trump and expressed optimism about collaborating with the new administration. In a post on the social platform X, Cook stated, “We look forward to engaging with you and your administration to help ensure the United States continues to lead through ingenuity, innovation, and creativity.”
The growing dialogue between the tech industry and Trump underscores the critical role these leaders expect to play in shaping the nation’s technological and economic future under his administration.
