Once upon a campaign cycle in a kingdom far, far west, Donald Trump and Elon Musk were the ultimate tech–politics power couple. Musk was handed the keys to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Trump had his billionaire buddy on speed dial, and both got to bask in the glow of each other’s influence. Then came the split. Messy, public, and complete with social media theatrics that would even put the Kardashians to shame.
Now, the bromance is over, Musk is uninvited, and Washington has a new parlour game: Who will step into the role of Trump’s new tech confidant?
Trump’s latest White House spectacle wasn’t just a dinner; it was a Silicon Valley cherrypicker.
WATCH LIVE: President Trump hosts top tech CEOs at White House dinner https://t.co/5DZXKjDAJH
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 4, 2025
Bill Gates, Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Sam Altman, and a string of billionaires in sharp suits gathered around the table to talk AI, investments, and the “future of American innovation.”
Officially, it was about technology. Unofficially, it looked more like an audition to see who would replace Elon Musk as the president’s new favourite tech confidant.
Enter The Billioanire Contenders
Sam Altman
If this were a reality show, Altman would be the frontrunner.
The OpenAI CEO isn’t just building AI chatbots. He’s building Stargate, a massive network of data centres which Trump personally stood next to him and announced. That move alone reportedly left Musk fuming.
If being Trump’s bestie is about timing, Altman has nailed it, much like his playing-it-safe response to Trump at the dinner.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to President Trump at White House event with top tech leaders: “Thank you for being such a pro-business, pro-innovation president. It’s a very refreshing change.” pic.twitter.com/dinsIxkvb7
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) September 5, 2025
Mark Zuckerberg
Once threatened with jail time by Trump, Zuck is now in damage-control mode. He’s praised the president on earnings calls, saying the administration “prioritises American technology winning and that will defend our values and interests abroad.”
Meta even chipped in $1 million for the inauguration. Call it survival instincts, call it opportunism — either way, Zuck clearly wants back in the circle. Or does he?
At the dinner on Thursday, Trump even threw a quip at Zuckerberg, “This is the beginning of your political career.” Zuck’s answer might put rumours to rest. See below:
TRUMP: “This is the beginning of your political career.”
ZUCKERBERG: “No, it’s not.”
At tonight’s White House dinner for tech leaders, I asked President Trump and META CEO Mark Zuckerberg about the UK’s crackdown on freedom of speech online. @NEWSMAX pic.twitter.com/dKSpn6TV8i
— Mike Carter (@MikeCarterTV) September 5, 2025
Tim Cook
Cook used to be Trump’s whisperer in the trade wars. But the sequel hasn’t been as kind. “I had a little problem with Tim Cook,” Trump said in May after threatening 25% tariffs on iPhones made outside the US.
If Cook manages to reclaim his favourite status, it would be the comeback of the decade. He might be on the way.
During the dinner, Trump asked the Apple chief, “Tim, how much money will Apple be investing in the United States? I know it’s a very large amount. You were elsewhere before, and now you’re really coming home in a big way. How much money will you be investing?”
“$60 billion,” Cook responded, playing it safe. “I want to thank you for setting the tone such that we could make a major investment in the United States. That says a lot about your focus and your leadership and your focus on innovation.”
.@Apple CEO @tim_cook: “I want to thank you for setting the tone such that we could make a major [$600 billion] investment in the United States… That says a lot about your focus and your leadership and your focus on innovation.” pic.twitter.com/289vkiB6vy
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 5, 2025
The Bigger Prize
Being Trump’s tech bestie isn’t just about dinner invites and photo ops. It’s about influence: on regulation, tariffs, space races, and the future of artificial intelligence. The billionaire who secures that spot will have the US President’s ear and the inside lane on shaping how America competes in the next wave of tech.
So, who gets the job? Altman, Zuck, or ‘Tim Apple’? One thing’s certain: the Musk-sized hole in Trump’s inner circle has Silicon Valley’s richest men vying for the role like contestants on Love Island: White House Edition.
