On September 4, 2025, President Donald Trump hosted a White House dinner for 33 leading tech executives, including the CEO of Meta, Apple and Microsoft, on Sep. 4, 2025. The gathering highlighted growing ties between Silicon Valley and the Trump administration.
Among those present in attendance were Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Apple’s Tim Cook, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Microsoft’s Bill Gates, and Google’s Sundar Pichai. The dinner brought together leaders from the world’s most prominent tech companies. The meeting resembled Trump’s past cabinet sessions, with executives offering thanks and pledging investment.
Many cited Trump’s pro-business policies as reasons for expanding operations in the U.S.
“Thank you for being such a pro-business, pro-innovation president. It’s a very refreshing change,” Altman said during the event.
He added that Trump’s leadership would help position the U.S. to “lead the world” in technology.
Cook announced Apple would invest $600 billion in U.S. manufacturing and infrastructure.
“I want to thank you for setting the tone such that we can make a major investment in the United States,” Cook said, praising Trump’s focus on innovation.
In a White House transcript of the dinner, Zuckerberg made a similar pledge of $600 billion, emphasizing domestic data centers and “AI” development.
Google committed $250 billion, while Microsoft and others stressed commitments to AI research and job creation.
The investments build on Trump’s earlier push for domestic chip production.
In August, he threatened “approximately 100%” tariffs on imported semiconductors unless firms built in the U.S.
Previously announcing the policy alongside Cook, Trump said, “If you’re building in the United States of America, there’s no charge, even though you’re building and you’re not producing yet.”
The new measure pressures firms to shift to domestic manufacturing.
The dinner also tied into broader workforce development efforts.
First Lady Melania Trump hosted an AI summit earlier that day, focusing on training Americans for jobs in AI and emerging technologies.
Notably absent from the dinner was Elon Musk. He confirmed on X that he had been invited but “unfortunately could not attend,” sending a representative instead.
Musk has had a complicated relationship with Trump.
Earlier this year, he clashed with the administration over government spending and distanced himself politically.
Despite his absence, the dinner highlighted the growing intersection of technology and policy.
Billions invested in domestic investments and AI initiatives underscore the sector’s influence, signaling renewed confidence in U.S. markets and the alignment between Silicon Valley and the Trump administration.
