Milwaukee (AFP) – Devotees of Donald Trump have long proclaimed he was chosen by God to save the United States -- but the messianic fervor has hit new heights after the Republican presidential candidate narrowly survived an assassination attempt.
Issued on: 17/07/2024
Republicans have been quick to credit divine intervention with saving Trump's life in the assassination attempt © Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP
At the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week, the party faithful have been quick to credit divine intervention with saving their leader's life after he was wounded in a shooting at his Pennsylvania rally.
Images of the bloodied former president raising his fist defiantly in the air as the Stars and Stripes fluttered in the background have only served to bolster his image among his supporters.
"Evil came for the man we admire and love so much," said the right-wing firebrand Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. "I thank God that his hand was on President Trump."
House Speaker Mike Johnson told a news channel that Trump's escape, with only a slight ear wound, was "a miraculous thing," while Senator Marco Rubio of Florida wrote on X that "God protected Trump."
At the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week, the party faithful have been quick to credit divine intervention with saving their leader's life after he was wounded in a shooting at his Pennsylvania rally.
Images of the bloodied former president raising his fist defiantly in the air as the Stars and Stripes fluttered in the background have only served to bolster his image among his supporters.
"Evil came for the man we admire and love so much," said the right-wing firebrand Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. "I thank God that his hand was on President Trump."
House Speaker Mike Johnson told a news channel that Trump's escape, with only a slight ear wound, was "a miraculous thing," while Senator Marco Rubio of Florida wrote on X that "God protected Trump."
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, currently serving a prison sentence for contempt of Congress, said "Trump wears the Armor of God."
Never mind that one rally-goer was killed -- a volunteer firefighter who died shielding his family -- while two others were seriously wounded.
Nor that, until his foray into Republican politics, tycoon Trump displayed a distaste for religion, even mocking believers, according to a former aide.
He also boasted in one of his books about affairs with "beautiful, famous, successful, married" women, and has been found liable by a civil court for sexual abuse.
Personality cult
Republicans are gathered this week for their national nominating convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin © LEON NEAL / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Trump, who has said he was raised Presbyterian but now considers himself a "non-denominational Christian," has encouraged the attention, writing on Truth Social that "God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening."
For Natasha Lindstaedt, a political scientist at the University of Essex, the episode underscores the cult of personality that Trump and his inner circle have meticulously cultivated and reinforced over several years.
Some "personalist" leaders are dictators, others are elected, but their goal is the same: "To get people to blindly obey them and to be mystified by their superhuman qualities," she told AFP.
Trump casting himself as America's sole savior is nothing new -- but escaping the assassination attempt has elevated the rhetoric to Biblical proportions, she added.
Consider for instance, the meme circulating across conservative social media depicting Jesus Christ himself placing his hands on the 78-year-old's shoulders.
Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who co-chairs the Republican National Committee, posted the image on her Instagram page with the caption "Fear not, for I am with you."
"I'm a Christian and a Catholic by faith," Jack Prendergast, a Republican delegate from New York at the convention, told AFP. Trump "had an angel sitting on his shoulder -- the hand of God in my opinion, moved his face aside."
Such hero worship benefits both the mythologized leader and followers, said Natalie Koch, a political geographer at Syracuse University.
"By building up that cult and joining that and being part of that, they get a sense of community," she told AFP.
Trump, who has said he was raised Presbyterian but now considers himself a "non-denominational Christian," has encouraged the attention, writing on Truth Social that "God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening."
For Natasha Lindstaedt, a political scientist at the University of Essex, the episode underscores the cult of personality that Trump and his inner circle have meticulously cultivated and reinforced over several years.
Some "personalist" leaders are dictators, others are elected, but their goal is the same: "To get people to blindly obey them and to be mystified by their superhuman qualities," she told AFP.
Trump casting himself as America's sole savior is nothing new -- but escaping the assassination attempt has elevated the rhetoric to Biblical proportions, she added.
Consider for instance, the meme circulating across conservative social media depicting Jesus Christ himself placing his hands on the 78-year-old's shoulders.
Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who co-chairs the Republican National Committee, posted the image on her Instagram page with the caption "Fear not, for I am with you."
"I'm a Christian and a Catholic by faith," Jack Prendergast, a Republican delegate from New York at the convention, told AFP. Trump "had an angel sitting on his shoulder -- the hand of God in my opinion, moved his face aside."
Such hero worship benefits both the mythologized leader and followers, said Natalie Koch, a political geographer at Syracuse University.
"By building up that cult and joining that and being part of that, they get a sense of community," she told AFP.
'Imperfect vessel'
Trump casting himself as America's sole savior is nothing new -- but escaping the assassination attempt has elevated the rhetoric to Biblical proportions © Patrick T. Fallon / AFP
They also gain a vehicle to pursue their political interests, from evangelicals with a religious agenda to the ultra wealthy hoping for massive tax cuts, Koch added.
And for all the criticism from liberal quarters that Trump's faith is a facade, he proved to be the "imperfect vessel" evangelicals hoped he would become, fulfilling their decades-long agenda of tilting the Supreme Court heavily conservative and overturning the national right to abortion.
Even Trump's embattled Democratic opponent President Joe Biden has begun to adopt certain Trumpian flourishes of late, telling ABC News only "Lord Almighty" could convince him to end his re-election bid amid questions about his mental acuity.
"Personality cults are really bad for democracy," said Lindstaedt, "because it gets people to blindly obey things that they normally wouldn't, they refuse to question the authority figure."
Coupled with the Supreme Court's recent decision bolstering presidential immunity, "the guardrails of democracy are not really protecting the US from whatever Trump plans on doing once he gets elected, which I think will happen."
© 2024 AFP
They also gain a vehicle to pursue their political interests, from evangelicals with a religious agenda to the ultra wealthy hoping for massive tax cuts, Koch added.
And for all the criticism from liberal quarters that Trump's faith is a facade, he proved to be the "imperfect vessel" evangelicals hoped he would become, fulfilling their decades-long agenda of tilting the Supreme Court heavily conservative and overturning the national right to abortion.
Even Trump's embattled Democratic opponent President Joe Biden has begun to adopt certain Trumpian flourishes of late, telling ABC News only "Lord Almighty" could convince him to end his re-election bid amid questions about his mental acuity.
"Personality cults are really bad for democracy," said Lindstaedt, "because it gets people to blindly obey things that they normally wouldn't, they refuse to question the authority figure."
Coupled with the Supreme Court's recent decision bolstering presidential immunity, "the guardrails of democracy are not really protecting the US from whatever Trump plans on doing once he gets elected, which I think will happen."
© 2024 AFP
Trump shooting conspiracy theories flourish on X, researchers say
Washington (AFP) – Conspiracy theories about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump received tens of millions of views on X, researchers said Tuesday, highlighting the potential for extreme falsehoods to go viral on the Elon Musk-owned platform.
Issued on: 16/07/2024 -
Washington (AFP) – Conspiracy theories about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump received tens of millions of views on X, researchers said Tuesday, highlighting the potential for extreme falsehoods to go viral on the Elon Musk-owned platform.
Issued on: 16/07/2024 -
Social media users voiced confusion as they scrambled for accurate information about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump in a sea of misinformation. © Rebecca DROKE / AFP
The social media site, formerly named Twitter, was flooded with unsubstantiated claims soon after the shooting Saturday at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which left one spectator dead and a bloodied Trump injured in the ear.
Those included unfounded assertions that the assassination attempt had been "staged" or an "inside job," while fingers were pointed at imaginary culprits such as Jews and the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.
The conspiracy theories were viewed over 215 million times on X, the watchdog Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) said after analyzing a sample of 100 popular posts.
A majority of the posts did not carry a "Community Note," a crowd-sourced moderation tool that Musk has promoted as the way for users to add context to the tweets, CCDH added.
In the first 24 hours alone, unsubstantiated narratives around the incident amassed more than 100 million views on X, according to the nonprofit research group Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
X did not respond to a request for comment.
Internet hoaxers also falsely identified several people as the shooter -- including Italian sports journalist Marco Violi, anti-Trump protester Maxwell Yearick and comedian Sam Hyde, AFP's fact-checkers reported.
Federal investigators have identified the shooter, who was killed on the scene, as Thomas Matthew Crooks of Pennsylvania.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, several social media users voiced confusion as they scrambled to obtain accurate information in what appeared to be a sea of false or misleading posts, which rapidly gained traction.
The trend illustrates the ability of falsehoods to mutate into viral political discourse on tech platforms including X, which now offer fewer guardrails as they scale back content moderation.
Researchers say some clout-chasing accounts on the platform have a financial motive to post sensational falsehoods, as X's ad revenue-sharing program incentivizes extreme content designed to boost engagement.
"In the marketplace of disinformation -- which is effectively what a lot of social media platforms have now been reduced to, a marketplace for lies -- extreme content is your currency," said Imran Ahmed, chief executive and founder of CCDH.
"The algorithms take the most outlandish content and amplify it exponentially until the entire digital world is flooded with conspiracism, disinformation and hate."
Researchers have warned about a possible firehose of disinformation in the run up to the November election, which will take place in a deeply polarized political climate in the United States.
"Already, at an early stage in the US electoral cycle, we can see flashing warning signs that social media in the weeks and months ahead will be increasingly chaotic and rife with disinformation," Ahmed said.
© 2024 AFP
The social media site, formerly named Twitter, was flooded with unsubstantiated claims soon after the shooting Saturday at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which left one spectator dead and a bloodied Trump injured in the ear.
Those included unfounded assertions that the assassination attempt had been "staged" or an "inside job," while fingers were pointed at imaginary culprits such as Jews and the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.
The conspiracy theories were viewed over 215 million times on X, the watchdog Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) said after analyzing a sample of 100 popular posts.
A majority of the posts did not carry a "Community Note," a crowd-sourced moderation tool that Musk has promoted as the way for users to add context to the tweets, CCDH added.
In the first 24 hours alone, unsubstantiated narratives around the incident amassed more than 100 million views on X, according to the nonprofit research group Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
X did not respond to a request for comment.
Internet hoaxers also falsely identified several people as the shooter -- including Italian sports journalist Marco Violi, anti-Trump protester Maxwell Yearick and comedian Sam Hyde, AFP's fact-checkers reported.
Federal investigators have identified the shooter, who was killed on the scene, as Thomas Matthew Crooks of Pennsylvania.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, several social media users voiced confusion as they scrambled to obtain accurate information in what appeared to be a sea of false or misleading posts, which rapidly gained traction.
The trend illustrates the ability of falsehoods to mutate into viral political discourse on tech platforms including X, which now offer fewer guardrails as they scale back content moderation.
Researchers say some clout-chasing accounts on the platform have a financial motive to post sensational falsehoods, as X's ad revenue-sharing program incentivizes extreme content designed to boost engagement.
"In the marketplace of disinformation -- which is effectively what a lot of social media platforms have now been reduced to, a marketplace for lies -- extreme content is your currency," said Imran Ahmed, chief executive and founder of CCDH.
"The algorithms take the most outlandish content and amplify it exponentially until the entire digital world is flooded with conspiracism, disinformation and hate."
Researchers have warned about a possible firehose of disinformation in the run up to the November election, which will take place in a deeply polarized political climate in the United States.
"Already, at an early stage in the US electoral cycle, we can see flashing warning signs that social media in the weeks and months ahead will be increasingly chaotic and rife with disinformation," Ahmed said.
© 2024 AFP
IRAN FAKE NEWS
Security boosted for Trump after reports of Iran assassination plot
The US received intelligence in recent weeks about a plot by Iran to try to assassinate former president Donald Trump, according to US news organisations. The threat had no apparent connection to the recent attempt on Trump’s life, said the reports. Iran on Wednesday rejected accusations of involvement in the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump at a Pennsylvania rally.
Issued on: 17/07/2024 -
By:FRANCE 24Follow|FRANCE 24
The US Secret Service increased security for Donald Trump weeks ago after authorities learned of an Iranian plot to kill him, although it was not linked to the recent attempt on his life, US media reported Tuesday.
CNN reported that US authorities received intelligence from a "human source" on a plan by Tehran targeting the former president, causing protection to be boosted for Trump. Other US outlets also reported the plot.
But it was not connected to the shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in which gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at Trump, leaving the Republican wounded and killing a rally attendee, they said.
The US National Security Council said it had been "tracking Iranian threats against former Trump administration officials for years" as Tehran sought revenge for the 2020 killing of Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani.
Read moreTrump-ordered air strike kills Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani
"We consider this a national and homeland security matter of the highest priority," spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
The investigation into the Trump shooting on Saturday "has not identified ties between the shooter and any accomplice or co-conspirator, foreign or domestic," she added.
Watson referred questions on "additional measures that have been implemented in recent weeks" to the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security.
Iran slams ‘malicious’ US reports
Tehran on Wednesday rejected what it called "malicious" accusations by US media implicating it in a plot to kill Trump.
Iran’s mission to the UN called the accusations "unsubstantiated and malicious".
“Iran is determined to prosecute Trump due to his direct role in the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said, using the abbreviation for the Revolutionary Guards.
“But it strongly rejects any interference in the recent armed attack against Trump or the claims about Iran’s intention for such an action and considers such claims to have biased political objectives and motives,” he added.
‘Constantly receiving’ new potential alerts
Top US Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi on Tuesday said they and other agencies were "constantly receiving new potential threat information and taking action to adjust resources as needed."
"We cannot comment on any specific threat stream other than to say that the Secret Service takes threats seriously and responds accordingly," Guglielmi added in a statement.
There was no immediate reaction from the Department of Homeland Security.
The report comes as the Secret Service faces intense scrutiny over the Butler shooting, with questions over how a gunman was able to open fire at Trump from an exposed rooftop some 150 meters (500 feet) away.
08:18
US President Joe Biden has ordered an independent review of the agency's handling of the incident.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Does US Secret Service have 'rational explanation' for security failure at 'shambolic' Trump rally?
Issued on: 16/07/2024 -
Musk leads Silicon Valley rally behind Trump
Washington (AFP) – Elon Musk's decision to throw his vast fortune behind Donald Trump's presidential candidacy confirms the rise of a growing right-wing bloc in the traditionally liberal Silicon Valley.
Issued on: 16/07/2024 -
US media reports indicate that Musk and a group of tech investors are contributing to a Super PAC -- a specially designed fund that can spend unlimited amounts on political candidates and causes.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk plans to donate $45 million monthly to 'America PAC,' a fund focused on electing Trump, starting in July.
Although Musk stated just months ago that he would not donate to either Trump or President Joe Biden, the right-wing bent of his X platform and his steady flow of incendiary tweets have made his political allegiance clear.
Moments after the assassination attempt on Trump last weekend, Musk said he fully endorsed Trump.
Joining Musk in funding Trump are other, less well-known tech figures motivated by various interests.
These include boosting cryptocurrencies and opposing Biden-appointed regulators who are keeping a closer watch on the tech sector.
Predominantly male and white, Trump's Silicon Valley backers are most united in their loathing of so-called woke ideology, which they claim promotes diversity and equality at the expense of efficiency and excellence.
Many of these Silicon Valley mavens rolled out the red carpet for Trump at a fundraiser last month.
This was hosted by David Sacks, one of the members of the so-called PayPal mafia -- a group that includes -- Musk, who worked at that late 1990s startup and since became the representatives of Silicon Valley's growing right-leaning faction.
Sacks's support earned him a speaking spot at the Republican National Convention, which officially named Trump as the party's candidate.
"In my hometown of San Francisco, Democrat rule has turned the streets of our beautiful city into a cesspool of crime, homeless encampments and open drug use," the South African-born Sacks told the delegates, referring to the Democratic ticket for president.
Another member of the PayPal mafia is Peter Thiel, a German-born arch conservative who closely associated himself with Trump when he entered the White House.
After the assault of the US Capitol in 2021, Thiel said he would stay out of politics and has since become a sort of philosopher king of Silicon Valley's right-wing.
But Thiel contributed heavily to the Senatorial campaign of J.D. Vance, the hard right 39-year-old who was picked by Trump as his vice presidential candidate.
Also planning the Trump fundraiser was Chamath Palihapitiya, a former Facebook executive who, along with Sacks, co-hosts the All-In podcast that has become a must listen for the conservative tech-minded.
Palihapitiya was once a cheerleader of special purpose acquisition companies, or SPAC's, a controversial avenue for companies to go public, under the radar of regulators, by using shell entities.
The practice fizzled after the US Federal Reserve hiked interest rates, throttling the venture capital business and embittering many in Silicon Valley to Biden’s economic policies.
'War on crypto'
Security boosted for Trump after reports of Iran assassination plot
The US received intelligence in recent weeks about a plot by Iran to try to assassinate former president Donald Trump, according to US news organisations. The threat had no apparent connection to the recent attempt on Trump’s life, said the reports. Iran on Wednesday rejected accusations of involvement in the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump at a Pennsylvania rally.
Issued on: 17/07/2024 -
Donald Trump is shown with a bandage on his right ear at the Republican convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 15, 2024. © Brendan Smialowski, AFP
By:FRANCE 24Follow|FRANCE 24
The US Secret Service increased security for Donald Trump weeks ago after authorities learned of an Iranian plot to kill him, although it was not linked to the recent attempt on his life, US media reported Tuesday.
CNN reported that US authorities received intelligence from a "human source" on a plan by Tehran targeting the former president, causing protection to be boosted for Trump. Other US outlets also reported the plot.
But it was not connected to the shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in which gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at Trump, leaving the Republican wounded and killing a rally attendee, they said.
The US National Security Council said it had been "tracking Iranian threats against former Trump administration officials for years" as Tehran sought revenge for the 2020 killing of Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani.
Read moreTrump-ordered air strike kills Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani
"We consider this a national and homeland security matter of the highest priority," spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
The investigation into the Trump shooting on Saturday "has not identified ties between the shooter and any accomplice or co-conspirator, foreign or domestic," she added.
Watson referred questions on "additional measures that have been implemented in recent weeks" to the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security.
Iran slams ‘malicious’ US reports
Tehran on Wednesday rejected what it called "malicious" accusations by US media implicating it in a plot to kill Trump.
Iran’s mission to the UN called the accusations "unsubstantiated and malicious".
“Iran is determined to prosecute Trump due to his direct role in the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said, using the abbreviation for the Revolutionary Guards.
“But it strongly rejects any interference in the recent armed attack against Trump or the claims about Iran’s intention for such an action and considers such claims to have biased political objectives and motives,” he added.
‘Constantly receiving’ new potential alerts
Top US Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi on Tuesday said they and other agencies were "constantly receiving new potential threat information and taking action to adjust resources as needed."
"We cannot comment on any specific threat stream other than to say that the Secret Service takes threats seriously and responds accordingly," Guglielmi added in a statement.
There was no immediate reaction from the Department of Homeland Security.
The report comes as the Secret Service faces intense scrutiny over the Butler shooting, with questions over how a gunman was able to open fire at Trump from an exposed rooftop some 150 meters (500 feet) away.
08:18
US President Joe Biden has ordered an independent review of the agency's handling of the incident.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Does US Secret Service have 'rational explanation' for security failure at 'shambolic' Trump rally?
Issued on: 16/07/2024 -
05:54 Video by:Genie GODULA
In what's being described as “an absolute and abysmal failure” on the part of the Secret Service to protect Donald Trump, FRANCE 24's Genie Godula is being joined by Counter-Terrorism Expert and Security Specialist Will Geddes for in-depth analysis on the astounding security breach. Police had clues that something was amiss before the shooting. Officials are demanding to know how an armed man was able to get to the top of a building and shoot former President Donald Trump. A report of a suspicious man had reached police and witnesses pointed and shouted at an armed man on a roof nearby where Trump was speaking. The attempted assassination left Trump and two other men wounded. A former fire chief, 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, was killed while protecting his family. Investigations will be launched in Congress — in addition to a review ordered by President Joe Biden. Stan Kephart, a former police chief who worked event security for two former presidents, said the shooting followed an “an absolute and abysmal failure” on the part of the Secret Service to protect Trump.
In what's being described as “an absolute and abysmal failure” on the part of the Secret Service to protect Donald Trump, FRANCE 24's Genie Godula is being joined by Counter-Terrorism Expert and Security Specialist Will Geddes for in-depth analysis on the astounding security breach. Police had clues that something was amiss before the shooting. Officials are demanding to know how an armed man was able to get to the top of a building and shoot former President Donald Trump. A report of a suspicious man had reached police and witnesses pointed and shouted at an armed man on a roof nearby where Trump was speaking. The attempted assassination left Trump and two other men wounded. A former fire chief, 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, was killed while protecting his family. Investigations will be launched in Congress — in addition to a review ordered by President Joe Biden. Stan Kephart, a former police chief who worked event security for two former presidents, said the shooting followed an “an absolute and abysmal failure” on the part of the Secret Service to protect Trump.
Musk leads Silicon Valley rally behind Trump
Washington (AFP) – Elon Musk's decision to throw his vast fortune behind Donald Trump's presidential candidacy confirms the rise of a growing right-wing bloc in the traditionally liberal Silicon Valley.
Issued on: 16/07/2024 -
US media reports indicate that Musk and a group of tech investors are contributing to a Super PAC -- a specially designed fund that can spend unlimited amounts on political candidates and causes.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk plans to donate $45 million monthly to 'America PAC,' a fund focused on electing Trump, starting in July.
Although Musk stated just months ago that he would not donate to either Trump or President Joe Biden, the right-wing bent of his X platform and his steady flow of incendiary tweets have made his political allegiance clear.
Moments after the assassination attempt on Trump last weekend, Musk said he fully endorsed Trump.
Joining Musk in funding Trump are other, less well-known tech figures motivated by various interests.
These include boosting cryptocurrencies and opposing Biden-appointed regulators who are keeping a closer watch on the tech sector.
Predominantly male and white, Trump's Silicon Valley backers are most united in their loathing of so-called woke ideology, which they claim promotes diversity and equality at the expense of efficiency and excellence.
Many of these Silicon Valley mavens rolled out the red carpet for Trump at a fundraiser last month.
This was hosted by David Sacks, one of the members of the so-called PayPal mafia -- a group that includes -- Musk, who worked at that late 1990s startup and since became the representatives of Silicon Valley's growing right-leaning faction.
Sacks's support earned him a speaking spot at the Republican National Convention, which officially named Trump as the party's candidate.
"In my hometown of San Francisco, Democrat rule has turned the streets of our beautiful city into a cesspool of crime, homeless encampments and open drug use," the South African-born Sacks told the delegates, referring to the Democratic ticket for president.
Another member of the PayPal mafia is Peter Thiel, a German-born arch conservative who closely associated himself with Trump when he entered the White House.
After the assault of the US Capitol in 2021, Thiel said he would stay out of politics and has since become a sort of philosopher king of Silicon Valley's right-wing.
But Thiel contributed heavily to the Senatorial campaign of J.D. Vance, the hard right 39-year-old who was picked by Trump as his vice presidential candidate.
Also planning the Trump fundraiser was Chamath Palihapitiya, a former Facebook executive who, along with Sacks, co-hosts the All-In podcast that has become a must listen for the conservative tech-minded.
Palihapitiya was once a cheerleader of special purpose acquisition companies, or SPAC's, a controversial avenue for companies to go public, under the radar of regulators, by using shell entities.
The practice fizzled after the US Federal Reserve hiked interest rates, throttling the venture capital business and embittering many in Silicon Valley to Biden’s economic policies.
'War on crypto'
Donald Trump, with a bandage on his ear after being wounded in an assassination attempt, raises a fist as he arrives during the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 15, 2024 © Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP
On Tuesday, The Information reported that Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, who run one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent venture capital firms, were also backing Trump.
The pair's company is heavily invested in cryptocurrencies and last year created a political war chest to make trouble for lawmakers who want the nascent industry more heavily controlled.
Crypto billionaires Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss are also Trump donors, and attended the fundraiser for the former president in June.
Trump's embrace of crypto has changed from a more hostile stance previously and hopes are that he can help revive the industry in the wake of major scandals and bankruptcies.
The former president "will put an end to the Biden Administration’s war on crypto," Cameron Winklevoss said in June.
Closing out Trump's fellow travelers in Silicon Valley are top executives from Palantir, a data analytics firm co-founded by Thiel that specializes in national security work.
Palantir's co-founder Joe Lonsdale is contributing to the pro-Trump Super PAC, and rails against what he calls Biden's left-wing priorities like affirmative action and regulation.
"Our country is stalled because you have these crazy people in charge," Lonsdale told CNBC this month, speaking of the Democrats.
© 2024 AFP
On Tuesday, The Information reported that Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, who run one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent venture capital firms, were also backing Trump.
The pair's company is heavily invested in cryptocurrencies and last year created a political war chest to make trouble for lawmakers who want the nascent industry more heavily controlled.
Crypto billionaires Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss are also Trump donors, and attended the fundraiser for the former president in June.
Trump's embrace of crypto has changed from a more hostile stance previously and hopes are that he can help revive the industry in the wake of major scandals and bankruptcies.
The former president "will put an end to the Biden Administration’s war on crypto," Cameron Winklevoss said in June.
Closing out Trump's fellow travelers in Silicon Valley are top executives from Palantir, a data analytics firm co-founded by Thiel that specializes in national security work.
Palantir's co-founder Joe Lonsdale is contributing to the pro-Trump Super PAC, and rails against what he calls Biden's left-wing priorities like affirmative action and regulation.
"Our country is stalled because you have these crazy people in charge," Lonsdale told CNBC this month, speaking of the Democrats.
© 2024 AFP
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