On Thursday, President Donald Trump hosted top technology executives at the White House, using the event to tout his business-friendly agenda while pressing leaders on how much they are investing in the U.S.
Billion-Dollar Pledges From Tech Giants
Seated between first lady Melania Trump and Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg in the State Dining Room, Trump asked the executives to detail their U.S. spending commitments.
Zuckerberg said Meta will invest at least $600 billion through 2028. "It's a lot," Trump responded.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Tim Cook, who joined Trump in the Oval Office last month to announce fresh spending plans, reiterated Apple's commitment to a $600 billion U.S. investment.
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) CEO Sundar Pichai said his company will put $250 billion into domestic initiatives in the next two years.
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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said, "We'll invest a ton in the U.S.," after which Trump said, "Hundreds of billions of dollars and it's gotta be well worth it."
When Trump asked Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) CEO Satya Nadella how much his company is investing, the tech mogul said, "This year, in the U.S., around $75 to $80 billion."
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) CEO Lisa Su expressed her gratitude for the support of AI during the roundtable discussion.
Pichai On Google's Antitrust Case
Trump also brought up Google's latest courtroom victory after a federal judge declined to break up the company's core businesses. "I'm glad it's over," Pichai said of the case
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled Tuesday that Google could keep its Chrome browser and Android operating system intact, though the company must make changes to allow more competition in search.
Praise, Policy And Politics At The Table
Other attendees used the evening to highlight their priorities.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who sat beside the First Lady, spoke about health care innovation and AI applications.
Venture capitalist David Sacks, who is serving as the White House czar on AI and cryptocurrency, praised Trump's policies, saying there is a "boom in AI because of what President Trump has done," reported The Hill.
Notably absent were Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang.
Tesla and Nvidia did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comments.
Trump's Message To CEOs
Trump said that his administration is committed to streamlining regulations.
The President said he's "making it very easy" for businesses in terms of electric capacity and getting your permits, adding that he knows the executives "indirectly" through studying their companies.
The gathering, initially planned for the Rose Garden but moved indoors due to rain, marked the first of its kind under Trump's second term and underscored his push to align Silicon Valley's biggest names with his economic agenda.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
