Big Tech's Unwavering Allure to Trump: A Year On
One year into Donald Trump's presidency, tech giants are still heavily invested in his administration. The companies have reaped significant rewards from their alliance with the president, including billions of dollars in government funding and lucrative diplomatic deals that feature CEOs as key negotiators.
Trump has been a steadfast supporter of big tech, particularly when it comes to regulating AI. His executive order prohibiting states from passing laws regulating AI was signed last month, following a landmark deal between Trump and Microsoft's president. The tech giant will now pay full property taxes for its datacenters, avoiding discounts on electricity rates in the process.
However, as the cost of living continues to rise across America, Trump's promise to slash electricity bills by half seems increasingly unlikely. Renewable energy projects are being blocked, while drilling for gas and oil is being promoted instead. This U-turn has raised costs further for domestic consumers, putting pressure on Trump's party ahead of congressional elections in November.
The tech industry is also facing criticism for its impact on the environment. In Australia, a ban on social media accounts for under-16s has been hailed as a success. Despite initial concerns from lawmakers that the ban was ineffective, it appears to have had the desired effect.
In Europe, high energy prices are limiting growth in datacenter construction. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz has agreed to subsidize heavy industrial use of electricity until 2028 and reduce grid fees for consumers and businesses alike. However, many Germans remain skeptical about the tech industry's ability to abide by these requirements.
The US is also exploring ways to curb energy demand from its largest power grid operator. An emergency reliability power auction will be held in September, which could force tech giants to pay for the construction of new power plants.
As datacenter construction continues to expand globally, concerns about their environmental impact are growing. The Middle East and India are now on the radar, with cheap energy and limited water resources creating fertile ground for growth.
In a broader context, the US government has imposed a 25% tariff on Nvidia AI chips and other products, citing national security concerns. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's company xAI has been ordered to pay fines for operating methane-powered generators at its Memphis facility.
As big tech continues to play a dominant role in shaping policy and pushing industry boundaries, one thing is clear: the alliance between Trump and Silicon Valley remains strong, with no signs of waning anytime soon.
One year into Donald Trump's presidency, tech giants are still heavily invested in his administration. The companies have reaped significant rewards from their alliance with the president, including billions of dollars in government funding and lucrative diplomatic deals that feature CEOs as key negotiators.
Trump has been a steadfast supporter of big tech, particularly when it comes to regulating AI. His executive order prohibiting states from passing laws regulating AI was signed last month, following a landmark deal between Trump and Microsoft's president. The tech giant will now pay full property taxes for its datacenters, avoiding discounts on electricity rates in the process.
However, as the cost of living continues to rise across America, Trump's promise to slash electricity bills by half seems increasingly unlikely. Renewable energy projects are being blocked, while drilling for gas and oil is being promoted instead. This U-turn has raised costs further for domestic consumers, putting pressure on Trump's party ahead of congressional elections in November.
The tech industry is also facing criticism for its impact on the environment. In Australia, a ban on social media accounts for under-16s has been hailed as a success. Despite initial concerns from lawmakers that the ban was ineffective, it appears to have had the desired effect.
In Europe, high energy prices are limiting growth in datacenter construction. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz has agreed to subsidize heavy industrial use of electricity until 2028 and reduce grid fees for consumers and businesses alike. However, many Germans remain skeptical about the tech industry's ability to abide by these requirements.
The US is also exploring ways to curb energy demand from its largest power grid operator. An emergency reliability power auction will be held in September, which could force tech giants to pay for the construction of new power plants.
As datacenter construction continues to expand globally, concerns about their environmental impact are growing. The Middle East and India are now on the radar, with cheap energy and limited water resources creating fertile ground for growth.
In a broader context, the US government has imposed a 25% tariff on Nvidia AI chips and other products, citing national security concerns. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's company xAI has been ordered to pay fines for operating methane-powered generators at its Memphis facility.
As big tech continues to play a dominant role in shaping policy and pushing industry boundaries, one thing is clear: the alliance between Trump and Silicon Valley remains strong, with no signs of waning anytime soon.
We should be cautious not to let our desire for growth and profits cloud our judgment when it comes to the environment. The tech industry's influence on policy can have far-reaching consequences, and we need to consider whether their interests align with the greater good. 
. The fact that renewable energy projects are being blocked and gas drilling is getting promoted instead is just crazy talk 
. And what's up with these massive tariffs on Nvidia AI chips? It's like Trump thinks tech companies can be controlled like a chessboard 
.
. The US is still stuck in denial about the environmental impact of datacenter expansion, which is just going to come back to bite them when the costs of climate change start adding up 
.
i mean, i'm not even a coffee person but it's like a whole different level of flavor . anyway, back to trump and tech... i don't get why everyone's so upset about the AI regulations. isn't that what they're supposed to be doing? regulating AI for the greater good? or is it just about making money for these companies? btw, have you seen those adorable puppy pics on pinterest lately?
. Big tech is like, totally invested in this admin, and they're getting away with a sweet deal. I mean, billions of dollars in funding? That's some serious clout 
?
. And Germany's subsidies for industrial use of electricity? That's a good start 
.
.
. Meanwhile, renewable energy projects are being stifled in favor of gas and oil drilling 
.
. The imposition of tariffs on Nvidia AI chips and xAI's fine for methane-powered generators are attempts to curb environmental concerns, but more needs to be done 
. As the world grapples with the existential threat of climate change, Big Tech must be held to a higher standard 
. I mean, billions of dollars in funding and diplomatic deals? It's crazy! And that executive order about AI regulation? Yeah, that doesn't sit well with me at all 
. I've been reading a lot about renewable energy and it breaks my heart to see how much progress is being hindered by the emphasis on drilling for gas and oil 
. I do wish more people would speak out against this stuff and demand better from our leaders 
.
️. I mean, have you seen the numbers lately? Renewable energy projects are getting blocked left and right while they're pushing for more gas and oil drilling... it's like Trump wants to make America energy-inefficient again 
.
its crazy how much money they're making from Trump's policies... like, billions are being handed over to these companies every year. And for what? So they can get richer? It's not exactly the America we were promised, you know? 
. And don't even get me started on the whole "slashing electricity bills by half" thing... yeah right, because that's exactly what we need – more tech giants dodging taxes and leaving us with rising energy costs 
.
. And Germany's trying to get its act together with subsidies and grid fees... but it's all a bit too little, too late 
.
and now the cost of living is just getting worse for everyone 
i mean i get it tech companies are making bank off this deal but come on someone gotta hold trump accountable 
germany's chancellor is trying to help tho btw
. And that deal with Microsoft is just cherry-picked - what about all the other states that get to regulate AI themselves? It feels like they're more interested in lining their own pockets than actually making a positive change 
.
The irony is that they're pushing for more drilling & gas production, which just raises costs further for us common folk 
Did you know Australia had a ban on social media accounts for under-16s? Sounds crazy, but it seems to be working there 
. It's like they're just making promises they can't keep anymore. First, it was slashing electricity bills by half, now it's more like we're gonna have to pay for everything ourselves. The environment is also taking a hit with all these new datacenters popping up everywhere. I mean, come on guys, you're a tech company, use renewable energy or something 
.
.
. It's like the tech industry is playing a game where they just keep expanding, no matter what the consequences are 
.
.
. In Europe, they're trying to get the tech industry to go green 
, but it's hard when they're making bank 
. We'll see what happens next 
But on the flip side, I'm getting worried about the environment 