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How Silicon Valley Helped Make Donald Trump Competitive Again

The venture capitalists have created a permission structure for those who favor Silicon Valley-style 'disruptive innovation.'

Drew Clark

Nov 2, 2024 — 6 min read

Illustration from the title sequence of HBO's "Silicon Valley" TV series

Silicon Valley is a state of mind more than a physical geography. It is a moniker for innovation in information technology and beyond.

That place, and that nickname, used to be solidly Democratic. Yet now some (but by no means all) of Silicon Valley's leading grandees are vocally advocating in the presidential race for Donald Trump over their hometown Senator-turned-Vice President Kamala Harris. Why?

Here's the simplest answer possible: Cryptocurrency regulation, fear of capital gains taxes, and the Valley's own taste for risk and even disruption.

Tech billionaires of the world, unite!

There's been great reporting in recent weeks by The New York Times and The Information, connecting the dots among the tech tycoons, including venture capitalist Peter Thiel, his protege David Sacks, and legendary VCs Marc Andreessen's and Ben Horowitz's July embrace of Trump.

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What's New Election 2024 Donald Trump Kamala Harris Ben Horowitz JD Vance Republican National Convention Marc Andreessen Andreessen Horowitz David Sacks Peter Thiel Elon Musk New York Times The Information Crypto blockchain Broadband Breakfast Meta Google Facebook Mark Zuckerberg Joe Biden Amazon Apple Silicon Valley Felicia Harris