Sunday Issues-December 15, 2024
Did Tim Cook really have dinner with Donald Trump?
I’m starting to worry about Big Tech companies. CEO after CEO is cozying up to Trump. I understand why they are doing it, but it makes me uncomfortable.
The CEOs see two benefits in engaging with Trump. One is to change or avoid regulatory actions that could cost them billions. The other is to influence Trump policies on foreign competition and regulations. For example, press reports on Apple’s Tim Cook suggest he complained to Trump about the $15 billion fine imposed on Apple by the European Union. Did Cook ask Trump to “do something about it?”
I could have suggested a third reason the tech CEOs are meeting with Trump—Elon Musk. After reading that Musk “virtually moved into” Mar-a-Lago, invited Trump to a Starship Launch, and accompanied the President-Elect to the reopening of Notre Dame, the CEOs may be worried that Trump could “weaponize” the government against their companies to help Musk. I hope that isn’t the case.
Another worrisome aspect of Trump’s engagement with the tech CEOs are the donations the executives (or the companies they work for) are making in support of the Trump Inauguration. Did Cook take his checkbook to Mar-a-Lago?
The concept of billionaires buying influence is nothing new, but Trump’s equation of wealth with intelligence, coupled with his narcissism makes Trump an easy target for the CEOs.
It is amusing to see the CEOs jet to Mar-a-Lago to meet with the president-elect. I’m not sure that any of them respect Trump for his intellect. Trump, for example, after learning that the Starship he watched launched would be splashed-down in the Gulf of Mexico, asked Musk whether it would be reused. Trump also once referred to Tim Cook at a White House meeting during his first term as “Mr. Apple.”
Trump’s relationship with America’s billionaire community is worth watching. I hope bribes are not solicited or offered.
Trump remains busy on social media.
It is not unreasonable to judge someone by what they write. And Trump, despite reportedly having little interest in reading, writes regularly on his social media site. I don’t know his motivations. Is it to build traffic on the site which is not yet profitable?
On Saturday, I visited the social media site and found a Trump post consisting of a picture of former Governor Chris Christie (NJ) eating McDonald’s food being delivered by drones. What do you think the message is here? My take is: 1) Christie, now a regular critic of Trump, will not be getting a White House job; 2) the post is not meant to ridicule or criticize McDonalds; and 3) Trump is not above body-shaming.
Trump also, I guess fortunately, is aware that strange reports keep circulating that “SUV-sized drones have been spotted flying the skies above New Jersey and other states. I looked for them last night, but whoever is sending them doesn’t seem interested in me. (That’s unfortunate, I’m looking for more subscriptions.)
Drones
The drones are an interesting phenomenon. Are the Russians behind them, the Chinese, or aliens? I think we will know soon. I heard one crashed in New Jersey. Did that happen?
ABC settles with Trump for $15 million.
ABC News has settled Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit alleging that George Stephanopoulos stated that Donald Trump had “been found liable for rape” in the E. Jean Carroll case. Trump alleged that the statement was factually wrong and defamatory. The settlement requires ABC to make a contribution to the future Donald Trump Presidential Library and to express regret over the misstatement.
President-Elect Trump is likely to claim the settlement as a victory. It is, but not over E. Jean Carroll. Trump was found guilty of defaming her after he called her a liar for alleging that Trump assaulted her in a New York department store dressing room.
The take-away from the settlement is that the press should remember that Trump intends to defend himself against attacks on his character. That is why he still is arguing that he won the 2020 election and did not instigate the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol.
Hopefully, this settlement and the threat of future lawsuits will not deter ABC News and other media outlets from reporting and commenting on the Trump presidency and other news.
South Korean president impeached.
President Soon Yuk Yeol has been impeached in South Korea for declaring martial law to combat his political opponents. Let’s hope Donald Trump hears about the incident. While major protests have not, to my knowledge, been announced for January 20, 2025, and immediately after Trump takes office, I fear that if there are protests, Trump will attempt to stop them with violence. I hope I am wrong.
Nancy Pelosi
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi fell while on a Congressional trip to Luxembourg and broke her hip. She was airlifted to a U.S. military hospital in Germany and received a hip replacement. I hope she will be okay. I also wonder, however, why an 84-year-old Congresswoman is on a Congressional trip that appears to be something of a boondoggle.
I also hope not to read anything from Donald Trump about the accident. Remaining silent or wishing her a speedy recovery would be the right thing for the President-Elect to do.
Thank you.
Thank you for reading Sunday Issues. I’ll have more commentary this week.
Great column, John. Unfortunately, anytime a CEO gets in bed with a politician, particularly Trump, it's not to benefit society. Shareholders and profits will always rule the day.