Trump Tells Tech Chiefs He is an Ally

Trump Tells Tech Chiefs He is an Ally
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Technology industry leaders, including Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, met with President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, seeking to persuade a man whose presidential bid many of them opposed to avoid policies they believe would hurt their companies, according to Bloomberg. “I’m here to help you folks do well,“ Trump told the executives as the meeting began.

Jobs, immigration and China were major topics, while infrastructure, education and repatriation of technology companies’ overseas cash were also discussed, according to a person briefed on the summit. The atmosphere was friendly, added the person, who asked not to be identified speaking about a private meeting.

Trump has a prickly relationship with the industry. He differs with many tech CEOs on immigration, internet security and regulation and on government investment. This summer, more than 140 tech industry executives published an open letter denouncing his candidacy and declaring that he "would be a disaster for innovation.

Oracle co-CEO Safra Catz, who like most other CEOs at the Trump Tower meeting did not sign the letter, said that trade would be at the top of the agenda. Trump has promised to unwind the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement President Barack Obama negotiated with 11 other Pacific Rim nations. He’s also said he would seek to renegotiate the North America Free Trade Agreement.

The meeting also included Alphabet’s Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins, Apple’s Tim Cook, Palantir CEO Alex Karp and IBM CEO Ginni Rometty. Rometty also serves on a panel of CEOs advising Trump on business and economic matters.

Before Wednesday’s meeting, some technologists debated whether invitees should even attend. A few top industry executives that were invited, including Uber’s Travis Kalanick and Airbnb’s Brian Chesky, didn’t go. Both companies said their CEOs had conflicting travel. Trump announced that Kalanick and Elon Musk would both join Rometty on his advisory panel, the President’s Strategic and Policy Forum.