The CEOs of the world’s largest tech companies have thrown their support behind Donald Trump. Some of them are even actively participating in his destructive policies, most notably Elon Musk. We spoke to tech journalist Paris Marx about Silicon Valley’s supposed mindshift and what kind of resistance is now needed.

For a long time, the United States was regarded as a pioneer of Western democracies. According to the constitution, there is a separation of powers and a system of checks and balances within the political system.

This picture has changed significantly in the past two months that US President Donald Trump has been in office. Trump has allowed Elon Musk to radically slash the state administration. The multi-billionaire can overrule congressional spending decisions and has access to the private information of almost all US citizens. Critics have long seen Musk as a “co-autocrat” of Donald Trump, who is carrying out a “bureaucratic coup”.

We spoke to Paris Marx about the latest events in the USA. Paris is a tech critic and host of the Tech Won’t Save Us podcast. He also writes the Disconnect newsletter and is the author of Road to Nowhere: What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong about the Future of Transportation.

The conservative roots of tech companies

netzpolitik.org: You are a tech critic who has been monitoring the Silicon Valley for quite some time now. Looking at the current situation, have there been any developments that even caught you off guard?

Paris Marx: It’s definitely surprising to see the extent to which Silicon Valley has maneuvered its way into the American government. The most prominent example is Elon Musk – not only in his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but also in the way he unofficially shapes a significant portion of Trump’s agenda. I certainly didn’t foresee how much influence Musk would be able to wield within the administration. His day-to-day involvement in reshaping American government is far beyond what I expected.

netzpolitik.org: Silicon Valley used to be considered a hub for liberal minds, typically with progressive political stances. Now, it appears to be engaging in a political battle against the government, often from a conservative standpoint. What changed?

Paris Marx: For decades, Silicon Valley was perceived and framed as a liberal, progressive place. But if we look back at history, we see that the tech industry, particularly the computing sector, has always had deep conservative roots.

Silicon Valley as we know it today emerged largely from U.S. government spending during World War II and the Cold War, aimed at developing high-tech industries, particularly in weapons and military technology. Over time, some of that technology was redeployed and privatized for consumer use.

netzpolitik.org: You say it was “framed” as progressive – where did that perception come from?

Paris Marx: The media played a role in crafting and amplifying that image. Take Elon Musk, for example. For years, coverage focused on how he was changing the world – launching rockets, addressing climate change with electric cars – while neglecting other aspects of his story.

Long before the recent scrutiny, there were concerns about how Musk treated workers at his companies or in regard to his management style. But for a long time, the media wasn’t particularly interested in telling those parts of the story.

The revenge of the nerds?

netzpolitik.org: Some have interpreted recent events as “the nerds taking revenge”. Do you agree with that assessment?

Paris Marx: I struggle with that narrative because it frames these figures in a way that is almost charitable – suggesting that they were bullied and are now simply retaliating. I don’t think that is what’s happening at all.

netzpolitik.org: What’s really happening, then?

Paris Marx: It’s more useful to examine how these individuals ascended over the past few decades. Many were simply in the right place at the right time. Their wealth and power were often the result of fortunate circumstances rather than unmatched intelligence – though they certainly want us to believe otherwise.

The prevailing narrative has long been that tech leaders are brilliant visionaries rather than lucky beneficiaries of particular moments in history. That’s a carefully crafted image, not necessarily reality.

netzpolitik.org: How was that narrative built?

Paris Marx: For decades, media narratives painted the Silicon Valley figures in an overwhelmingly positive light: Facebook was connecting the world, Musk was solving climate change, Google was giving us access to limitless information. The tech industry was portrayed as an inherently good force, pushing society forward and building the future.

When journalists and the public started scrutinizing their labor and environmental practices, these figures reacted negatively. They wanted to be celebrated, not held accountable.

netzpolitik.org: In the past, tech billionaires influenced politics in more subtle ways. Now, their involvement is much more overt – pushing DOGE, attending Trump’s inauguration, even appearing on stage with a chainsaw. What changed?

Paris Marx: Part of it stems from how the Biden administration attempted to hold tech companies and billionaires accountable. Investigations into antitrust violations and labor practices put these figures on the defensive.

There has also been a broader embrace of right-wing conspiracy theories within the tech industry – particularly in the case of Elon Musk. His opposition to Joe Biden began early in Biden’s presidency, when the administration promoted electric vehicles but highlighted General Motors over Tesla, partly due to Tesla’s non-union status. That seemed to spark Musk’s animosity, which only intensified over time.

Leading up to the presidential election, many tech leaders initially backed Republican candidates other than Trump. But when it became clear Trump would secure the nomination, they aligned with him more explicitly. This shift didn’t happen in a vacuum, but the open embrace of far-right politics is still striking.

Implementation of a far-right agenda

netzpolitik.org: Would you describe this as a hostile takeover of the government?

Paris Marx: The Trump administration operates with a “move fast and break things” mentality, fundamentally reshaping the American government before our eyes. This extends to foreign policy, where Trump is dismantling alliances and institutions that the U.S. spent decades building.

What we’re witnessing is the implementation of a long-standing far-right agenda. The playbook “Project 2025“, developed by the Heritage Foundation and other conservative groups, is now being aggressively rolled out.

The most surprising element is how deeply aligned the tech industry, particularly Musk, is with this effort. While there may be minor disagreements – such as on immigration policy – the overarching goal remains: dismantling the government, expanding AI capabilities, capturing government data, and disregarding the broader consequences.

Recently, Musk claimed that one of humanity’s biggest weaknesses is empathy. That statement speaks volumes about how he sees the world – and how little he considers the impact of his actions on millions of Americans and billions worldwide.

netzpolitik.org: Is there protest in American civil society?

Paris Marx: There is resistance. Across the U.S., protests are increasing against these developments. A notable example is the campaign targeting Tesla dealerships. Lawsuits are also being filed to challenge some of the Trump administration’s actions.

This moment demands a reassessment of global reliance on the U.S. tech industry. Countries like Canada and those in the European Union need to consider whether it makes sense to allow Silicon Valley companies to dominate their markets and to question whether their influence should be curbed considerably.

From my perspective, it’s crucial to develop alternative technological infrastructure in these regions, reducing dependency on Silicon Valley billionaires.

netzpolitik.org: What needs to be done? And what is your outlook?

Paris Marx: The European Union has taken important steps with regulations like the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act, but further action is necessary to curb Silicon Valley’s influence.

Governments should clearly define expectations for e-commerce and social media platforms operating within their jurisdictions, with real consequences for non-compliance. Initial penalties could be financial, but there should also be the possibility of outright bans if companies refuse to follow regulations.

More importantly, investments should be directed toward building alternative platforms that prioritize public interest over shareholder value. This means focusing on open protocols, federated systems, and ensuring government support for these initiatives. Only by working collectively can we create a technological ecosystem that serves the common good, rather than the interests of a few billionaires.

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