Jeremy Lyons, a tech industry professional, once considered himself politically neutral.
His first foray into political activism was during the early days of Donald Trump's initial presidential term.
Alongside his Google colleagues, Lyons walked out of the company's Silicon Valley headquarters to protest against immigration restrictions. Google's co-founder and CEO were among the protestors. Lyons' second demonstration, also against Trump, had a distinctively different atmosphere.
As reported by the Associated Press, the protest on April 5 in downtown San Jose was led by another tech worker who, fearing identification by Trump supporters, chose to remain anonymous. The protestors were advised not to antagonize Tesla drivers, a vehicle that has transitioned from a symbol of Silicon Valley's environmental futurism to a pro-Trump emblem. Unlike the previous protest, no tech executives were present, despite several having attended Trump's January inauguration only months prior.
Lyons, 54, believes the change reflects not only the current climate of fear among Trump critics but also the transformation of Silicon Valley over the past quarter-century. "One of the things I've seen over that time is a shift from a nerdy utopia to a money first, move fast and break things," Lyons said.
The political leanings within the tech industry are split. While some high-ranking Silicon Valley figures have veered right politically, many everyday tech workers remain liberal, albeit increasingly anxious and disenchanted. This sentiment starkly contrasts with the tech leaders who have adopted a conservative populist ideology.
Ann Skeet, who co-manages a center at Santa Clara University studying tech industry ethics, noted the growing divide between Silicon Valley's leadership and its workforce. "The shift hasn't been for a lot of people," said Lenny Siegel, a former Mountain View mayor and longtime liberal activist in the valley. "Its a handful of people whove gotten the attention."
Elon Musk, the world's wealthiest individual and CEO of the world's most recognized electric car company, is a prime example of this shift. Musk, alongside several tech billionaires, including investor David Sacks and venture capitalist Marc Andreesen, has played a significant role in reducing federal agencies under Trump's administration. Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who both attended Trump's inauguration, have also shown support for Trump.
Zuckerberg's support for Trump emerged after the then-candidate threatened to imprison him over funds Zuckerberg directed towards local election offices in some states during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Zuckerberg also donated $1 million to the president's inauguration fund and co-hosted an inauguration reception for billionaire Republican donors.
Trump's administration, filled with billionaires and backed by wealthy tech leaders, led Democratic President Joe Biden to caution that the United States risked becoming an oligarchy ruled by elites.
During Trump's first term, Silicon Valley and its leaders were a stronghold of resistance against the Republican, particularly over immigration, given the industry's global workforce. This resistance was evident at a recent rally in downtown San Jose, where thousands protested against Trump and Musk's actions.
Santa Clara County, home to most of Silicon Valley, swung 8 percentage points towards Trump in the November election against Democrat Kamala Harris, mirroring the shift across California. Despite this swing, the county voted 68% to 28% for the then-vice president and remains a Democratic stronghold.
Dave Johnson, the new executive director of the Santa Clara GOP, acknowledged that while the party has gained some new members in the county, few are from the tech industry. "If the lake was frozen, theres a little glimmer on top. I would not say there are cracks in the ice," he said.
The valley has long leaned Democratic, with a unique political blend: a general aversion to getting too involved in Washington's business, coupled with a contradictory mix of libertarian individualism, Bay Area activism, and faith in science's ability to solve global problems. This blend has persisted even as the tech industry has evolved.
The tech boom was driven by ambitious startups that catered to their workers' dreams of improving the world. Google's motto was "don't be evil," a phrase it removed from its code of conduct by 2018, when it and other companies like Meta had grown into multinational giants.
The industry has experienced layoffs in recent years, a shock to a sector that seemed destined for limitless growth. Entrepreneurs once dreamed of creating startups that would change the world, said Jan English-Lueck, a San Jose State University professor who has studied Silicon Valley culture for over 20 years. "Now," she said, "if youre part of a startup, youre hoping youll be absorbed in a way thats profitable."
Even before some prominent tech leaders shifted towards Trump, there was growing discontent within the industry over its direction. IdaRose Sylvester, who promotes a Silicon Valley-style approach to entrepreneurs in other countries, expressed her disillusionment. "I feel sick to my stomach now," she said.
Sylvester was already disenchanted with the growing inequality in the valley and the environmental cost of powering crypto, AI, and data centers. She participated in protests against Trump in 2017, but felt the energy fade after Biden won the 2020 election. "I saw a lot of people get out of politics once Biden won. There was a feeling it was all OK," Sylvester said. "It was not all OK."
The situation has worsened, according to Sylvester. She helped organize several demonstrations across the valley during a national day of protests against the new administration. The protest in downtown San Jose could have been a typical anti-Trump protest. A large crowd of mostly middle-aged and older people carried signs against the president and Musk while chanting against oligarchs.
However, it was unmistakably a Silicon Valley crowd, still reeling not only from Trumps challenges to the countrys system of checks and balances but also from the actions of the valleys top executives. "The money is all shifting to the wealthiest, and that terrifies me," said Dianne Wood, a startup employee. "Unfortunately, youve got the Zuckerbergs and Elon Musks of the world who are taking that over."
"Just coming here, everyones saying turn off the facial recognition on your phone," Wood added. "Were all scared." Kamal Ali, who works in AI, said he felt betrayed by the shift. "The trust is broken. A lot of employees are very upset by what's going on," he said. "It's going to be different forever.
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