President-elect Donald Trump is marveling at the newfound attention from top business leaders, many of whom are making their way to Mar-a-Lago to meet with him. Trump, clearly relishing the shift in attitude, has been vocal about the warm reception he’s receiving from figures who once opposed him. Some speculate that this embrace may be motivated by a desire to avoid falling out of favor with the incoming administration.
“EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE MY FRIEND!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social after dining with Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. Bezos, who owns The Washington Post, had previously clashed with Trump but now seems eager to stay on his good side.
Trump has noted the stark difference between how he’s being treated now versus during his first administration. At a recent press conference following a meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook, Trump said, “The first one they were very hostile … and this one is very much less hostile. It’s really the opposite of hostile.”
Over the past few weeks, CEOs from major tech firms, including Google’s Sundar Pichai, TikTok’s Shou Zi Chew, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, have made visits to Mar-a-Lago. Even former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates has expressed interest in meeting Trump, as Trump shared on Truth Social.
This flurry of meetings has Trump boasting about his newfound influence. Bruce Mehlman, a former Bush administration official, described the change as “massive,” noting that CEOs want to engage with an administration “when they have a mandate and momentum.”
Trump won the election with 49.8% of the vote, securing 77 million votes to Vice President Harris’s 74.4 million. He has described his victory as a “massive” mandate, though others, like the Cook Political Report, argue that the results show no clear mandate for Trump at all.
Some observers believe that the CEOs’ outreach is driven by pragmatism—or even fear. “Now they’re like, you know what, we should come and kiss the ring, because Trump means deregulation,” said a Republican strategist close to Trump. “Some of them are worried that Elon [Musk] might get a leg up on them in Silicon Valley.”
Democratic lobbyists have noted that their business clients recognize the need to engage with the incoming administration. “Every client we have knows that they’re going to need to engage with the incoming administration,” one lobbyist explained. “It makes sense to have high-level engagement with the guy who’s going to be in charge for the next four years.”
Major companies, including Amazon, Meta, and OpenAI, have committed $1 million each to Trump’s inaugural fund. Many in the business world are optimistic about Trump’s policies, which they believe will favor deregulation, lower taxes, and increased activity in areas like mergers and acquisitions. However, concerns remain about potential obstacles, such as new tariffs and stricter immigration policies.
At global events like the World Economic Forum in Davos, corporate leaders have expressed excitement about working with Trump. One longtime Democratic donor noted that many business executives are hopeful for less regulation and a more favorable tax structure under Trump.
Some members of Trump’s team, like Treasury secretary pick Scott Bessent, are also receiving positive attention. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and others have praised Bessent as a strong choice.
Trump’s recent appearance at the New York Stock Exchange, where he rang the opening bell, further highlighted his connection to the business world. While some CEOs may see these meetings as a way to secure influence, others likely view them as a necessary step to navigate the next four years effectively.
A Democratic lobbyist summed up the sentiment: “Find the places where you can work with them early, because there are likely going to be places where you can’t and where you need to speak out.”
