<p data-start=”81″ data-end=”474″>As Elon Musk distances himself from the White House spotlight, speculation mounts over who will take up the mantle as Donald Trump’s new Silicon Valley confidant. With the US President’s second term in full swing and top tech executives appearing at his January inauguration, analysts are now betting on a fresh batch of contenders poised to shape tech policy from within Trump’s inner circle.</p>
<p data-start=”476″ data-end=”519″>Here are four names emerging as favourites.</p>
<h3 data-start=”521″ data-end=”557″><span style=”color: #ba372a;”><strong>Zuckerberg Makes a DC Power Play</strong></span></h3>
<p data-start=”559″ data-end=”857″><img src=”https://feeds.abplive.com/onecms/images/uploaded-images/2025/01/13/fbce9730f706ed93ab32e2ff266cfdc21736775641452208_original.jpg” width=”720″ /></p>
<p data-start=”559″ data-end=”857″>Mark Zuckerberg, the Meta CEO and Facebook co-founder, has long had proximity to power, and he’s now being seen as a frontrunner to replace Musk in Trump’s tech orbit. His company reportedly donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration, and he even co-hosted a formal event to celebrate the occasion.</p>
<p data-start=”859″ data-end=”1362″>In a move seen by many as aligning with the administration’s shifting priorities, Meta has recently rolled back major Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The company’s new Community Notes feature also mirrors similar fact-checking efforts championed by X (formerly Twitter). Zuckerberg’s increasing presence in Washington D.C., including a $23 million mansion acquisition, signals serious intent. As reported by Business Insider, sources suggest he’s visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence multiple times in recent months.</p>
<h3 data-start=”1364″ data-end=”1397″><span style=”color: #ba372a;”><strong>Altman Aligns on AI Ambitions</strong></span></h3>
<p data-start=”1399″ data-end=”1759″><img src=”https://feeds.abplive.com/onecms/images/uploaded-images/2024/09/27/bc4de2cd1d81cbe4a482000ad509eee91727412115190402_original.jpg” width=”720″ /></p>
<p data-start=”1399″ data-end=”1759″>OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also found himself in Trump’s strategic crosshairs. Despite a well-publicised feud with Musk, Altman was tapped for the $100 billion Stargate AI infrastructure project announced just one day after Trump’s inauguration. The deal, which includes Oracle and SoftBank, marks a major step in Trump’s ambition to lead in the global AI race.</p>
<p data-start=”1761″ data-end=”2104″>Altman accompanied Trump on a May visit to Saudi Arabia as part of efforts to finalise a massive AI data centre in Abu Dhabi — a deal that reportedly triggered Musk to show up late and unsuccessfully try to block OpenAI’s involvement. The President has shown strong support for AI development, positioning Altman as a key player in his vision.</p>
<h3 data-start=”2106″ data-end=”2143″><span style=”color: #ba372a;”><strong>Huang Steps In, But Faces Hurdles</strong></span></h3>
<p data-start=”2145″ data-end=”2369″><img src=”https://feeds.abplive.com/onecms/images/uploaded-images/2025/01/07/42b63fbca44a7af9f5010786934b65e81736246961644402_original.jpg” width=”720″ /></p>
<p data-start=”2145″ data-end=”2369″>While Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang skipped Trump’s swearing-in, he was a notable figure on the President’s Middle East trip. Nvidia is collaborating with OpenAI on the UAE data centre project, alongside Oracle, SoftBank, and G42.</p>
<p data-start=”2371″ data-end=”2740″>Huang has praised Trump’s stance on semiconductor policy, especially the reversal of Biden-era chip export rules. “The previous rules were fundamentally flawed,” Huang had said. However, the relationship hit a bump in April when the Trump administration banned Nvidia from exporting its advanced H20 chips to China — a move that the company claims cost it $5.5 billion.</p>
<h3 data-start=”2742″ data-end=”2780″><strong><span style=”color: #ba372a;”>Bezos Shifts From Shade to Support</span></strong></h3>
<p data-start=”2782″ data-end=”3071″><img src=”https://static.abplive.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2017/11/08071259/5-know-intersting-facts-about-amazon-ceo-jeff-bezos.jpg” width=”720″ /></p>
<p data-start=”2782″ data-end=”3071″>Amazon founder Jeff Bezos may once have famously clashed with Trump — even joking in 2015 about launching him into space via Blue Origin — but their relationship appears to have thawed. In December, Bezos predicted a “more friendly regulatory environment” under the current administration.</p>
<p data-start=”3073″ data-end=”3524″>Amazon followed through with a $1 million contribution to Trump’s second inauguration. “I’m actually very optimistic this time around. He seems to have a lot of energy around reducing regulation. If I can help do that, I’m going to help him,” Bezos said in January. However, tensions briefly resurfaced in April when Amazon mulled displaying Trump’s tariffs alongside product prices, a plan that was later dropped after criticism from the White House.</p>
<h3 data-start=”3526″ data-end=”3550″><span style=”color: #ba372a;”><strong>Who’s In, Who’s Out?</strong></span></h3>
<p data-start=”3552″ data-end=”3945″ data-is-last-node=”” data-is-only-node=””>With Musk stepping away from the inner circle, the race to become Trump’s new tech whisperer is wide open. Whether it’s Zuckerberg’s DC manoeuvring, Altman’s AI partnerships, Huang’s hardware advantage, or Bezos’s regulatory hopes — each contender brings a different flavour of influence. One thing’s certain: in Trump’s Washington, tech is not just part of the conversation — it’s shaping it.</p>
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