Prominent tech CEOs and billionaires condemned the shooting at a Trump rally on Saturday, with some voicing their support for former President Donald Trump.
At least two people, including the suspected shooter, were killed on Saturday after shots were fired at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, according to a statement from the Secret Service. Two other rally attendees were critically injured, the agency said.
The shooting immediately drew reactions from top lawmakers, the Biden administration, and business leaders across the political spectrum.
Billionaire Mark Cuban, who has voiced support for President Joe Biden for a second term, wrote on X in the hour of the shooting that he hoped “the former president is Ok and no one else was injured.”
“And let’s hope they catch the idiot who did this. This is not the way,” Cuban wrote. “And thank you to the Secret Service who put themselves in harms way to protect the former President.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has feuded with Cuban over hot-button political issues, chose the moment to announce his endorsement of Trump. Musk previously said he would avoid financially backing a 2024 candidate, but Bloomberg reported this week that he donated to a pro-Trump super PAC.
“I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk wrote on X.
Some tech investors, including venture capitalists David Sacks and Shaun Maguire, reaffirmed their support for the former president on social media.
“There’s not a braver man in America than Donald Trump,” Sacks wrote on X.
Marc Andreessen, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz venture capital firm, posted a cryptic image of an American flag on X following the incident. He has yet to publicly endorse a 2024 candidate but has been critical of the Biden Administration.
Big Tech CEOs also took to social media to denounce the shooting.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, who typically prefers to maintain some semblance of neutrality and diplomacy in US politics, condemned the shooting.
“I pray for President Trump’s rapid recovery. My thoughts are with him, the other victims and the Trump family. I strongly condemn this violence,” he wrote on X.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg similarly said on Threads that he is praying for a “quick recovery for President Trump.”
In his first post on X in early nine months, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos wrote that Trump “showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire tonight.”
“So thankful for his safety and so sad for the victims and their families,” Bezos wrote.
Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, called the incident on X a “horrific event” and said “there is simply no place for any type of violence in our society.”
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said in a statement posted on X that he was “thankful President Trump wasn’t seriously injured.”
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who hasn’t publicly endorsed a 2024 candidate but was optimistic about his company’s prospects regardless of the election outcome, wrote on X that he wished a quick recovery for Trump and condemned “political violence.”
“A full and speedy recovery to President Trump. May his body be healed, his mind be soothed, and his soul be comforted. May he be blessed with strength and courage, and return to health soon. There is no room in our country for political violence,” he wrote.
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