Fresh Air How Silicon Valley has profited by aligning with MAGA
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May 6, 2026 
George Packer, Atlantic staff writer and author of The Unwinding, explains why powerful tech investors gravitated toward Trump. He traces PayPal-era networks, a pivotal fundraiser that normalized support, and how crypto and AI interests shaped policy moves. He also touches on immigration debates, regulatory fights, and growing public alarm about AI safety.
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Tech Libertarians Turned Populist To Court MAGA
- Silicon Valley's shift to MAGA mixes libertarian tech leaders with populist rhetoric to align with Trump.
- George Packer shows David Sachs reframed himself as a 'populist' resisting 'woke' staff and federal oversight to court MAGA support.
Billionaire Dinner That Made Pro Trump Tech Mainstream
- A June 6, 2024 fundraiser at David Sachs's $45 million Pacific Heights mansion crystallized the tech–Trump alliance and made pro-Trump support in Silicon Valley socially acceptable.
- The event raised about $12 million and brought crypto execs, investors, J.D. Vance, and Don Jr. into close contact with Trump.
Quick Regulatory Payback To Crypto Backers
- The Trump administration rapidly rewarded crypto backers: pardons, weakened enforcement, and disbanding DOJ crypto teams within months.
- Packer links these moves to a dramatic increase in Trump's crypto paper wealth and industry influence.