After heavy election donation, Silicon Valley reacts to Trump win

Global Business

While political pundits expect Donald Trump to be a pro-business president, not every sector of the economy supports his views.

Tech companies have had a strained relationship with the tycoon.

CCTV America’s Mark Niu has more.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, tech company workers donated around $57 million to just two candidates-Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

But the high-priced gamble didn’t pay off. Ninety-eight percent of big tech money went to Hillary Clinton, meaning that just a tiny fraction went to president-elect Trump.

The only high profile Silicon Valley executive to support Trump was Paypal co-founder and Facebook investor, Peter Thiel.

He got ridiculed for that choice.

On the campaign trail, Trump feuded with tech giants, slamming Amazon for not paying its fair share in taxes.

He also blasted Apple for refusing to unlock the San Bernardino gunman’s iPhone and demanded the company manufacture its products in America.

Silicon Valley tech companies have also lobbied hard for an increase in H-1B visas that would allow them to bring more foreign skilled tech workers to the U.S.

Trump’s position has been inconsistent, though he did say he plans to end the use of the H-1B that he considers a, quote, “cheap labor program.”

With Trump supporting traditional energy sources like gas and coal green energy, tech companies like Tesla have already seen their stock plunge.


Katie Roof on Silicon Valley’s future following Trump win

To further discuss how Sillicon Valley is reacting to Trump’s win and how it will be influenced by it, CCTV America’s Rachelle Akuffo spoke with Katie Roof, senior writer and video host at TechCrunch.