Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to clarify that Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz are the co-founders of Andreessen Horowitz, which is also known as a16z.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc., drew attention to the support of two prominent Silicon Valley investors for former President Donald Trump, citing their reasons for the endorsement.
What Happened: Musk shared a podcast episode of “The Ben & Marc Show,” co-hosted by venture firm Andreessen Horowitz‘s co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, where the duo explained their backing of Trump.
Andreessen said he has historically been a Democrat, having supported and voted for prominent Democratic figures. However, he has now shifted his allegiance to Trump, citing the former president’s tech-friendly policies as the main reason for his support.
"I wish we didn't have to pick a side," said Horowitz, adding, "We literally [believe] the future of our business, the future of technology, and the future of America is at stake."
Andreessen and Horowitz also criticized the President Joe Biden administration’s approach to regulating artificial intelligence, among other issues.
"Any limitations we put [on] ourselves are going to disadvantage the U.S. versus the rest of the World," Andreessen said.
Andreessen also stated that, in contrast to the Biden administration, Trump’s Bitcoin BTC/USD and cryptocurrency regulation plan is a comprehensive endorsement of the entire sector.
Andreessen highlighted that Biden’s proposal to tax unrealized capital gains was the decisive factor that shifted his support from the current president to Trump. He warned that if the unrealized capital gains tax is implemented, startups might face taxes on increases in their valuations.
Founded in 2009, Andreessen Horowitz has backed companies such as OpenAI, Facebook, Airbnb, Anduril, Box, DoorDash, and GitHub.
See Also: Elon Musk Reacts With ‘Fake Gnus’ Post To Report Of $45M Monthly Funding For Pro-Trump PAC
Why It Matters: Musk, who had previously stated he would not support either Biden or Trump, has now publicly endorsed Trump and donated millions to a political action committee supporting him. This move has raised eyebrows among investors and analysts, especially given Trump’s past criticism of Musk and the electric vehicle sector
The endorsement of Trump by prominent tech figures like Andreessen and Horowitz comes at a time when other influential investors are also showing support for the former president. For instance, Bill Ackman recently announced his endorsement of Trump, emphasizing that his decision was made carefully and based on empirical data.
Moreover, Peter Thiel, co-founder of Palantir Technologies Inc., might reconsider his stance on Trump following the announcement of J.D. Vance as Trump’s running mate, according to a technology investor. Thiel has close ties with Vance, which could influence his decision to support Trump.
However, not everyone in Silicon Valley is on board with this trend. Former White House aide Anthony Scaramucci has criticized the tech industry’s support for Trump, calling it a “dangerous approach.” Scaramucci believes that backing Trump could have negative implications for the industry.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote
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