'Would They Employ A Convicted Felon In Their Own Businesses?' Sequoia's Mike Moritz Says Silicon Valley Trump Backers Making A Big Mistake

Silicon Valley is known for its innovation, big ideas, and bigger personalities. It's a place where successful entrepreneurs and tech investors make waves with their opinions and investments. 

But recently, some of the top names in the tech world have surprised many by supporting Donald Trump for the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Legendary venture capitalist Mike Moritz thinks this is a huge mistake.

Don't Miss:

In a recent op-ed for the Financial Times, Moritz openly criticized the decision of some Silicon Valley heavyweights to support Trump, saying they are making a grave error. “I doubt whether any of them would want him as part of an investment syndicate that they organized,” Moritz wrote, questioning why these intelligent, successful people are backing Trump despite his legal troubles and controversial reputation.

Why Support Trump?

Some big names like Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, co-founders of Andreessen Horowitz, have publicly expressed their support for Trump, along with Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Other supporters include venture capitalists David Sacks, Joe Lonsdale, and Doug Leone, Moritz’s longtime partner at Sequoia.

Trending: Here’s the AI-powered startup that turns traders into influencers achieving 12% monthly growth – invest in it at only 10 cents per share.

Moritz challenges these decisions, stating that Trump's support is baffling, especially considering his recent criminal conviction on 34 felony counts in New York State Court. "Why then do they dismiss his recent criminal conviction as nothing more than a politically inspired witch-hunt over a simple bookkeeping error?"

With all this in mind, he asks, “Would they employ a convicted felon in their businesses?” He argues that Trump won’t be any different from other authoritarian leaders who have stuck to their agendas.

Trending: This investment company boasts a 35.14% internal rate of return (IRR) for its realized projects, allowing accredited investors to earn passive returns and avoid the headaches of being a landlord.

What's the Appeal?

Moritz wonders if the motivation behind this support is self-interest. Are these tech leaders backing Trump because they believe he will benefit their businesses or align with their interests? 

He suggests they might be deluding themselves, thinking they can control Trump or that he will not follow through on their promises.

Limited Support In Silicon Valley 

Even though some tech leaders loudly support Trump, Moritz is sure he won’t do well in Silicon Valley. Trump has not performed well in the region historically. In past elections, he received only a small percentage of votes in Silicon Valley, and Moritz expects this trend to continue. 

In fact, other Silicon Valley figures are significantly opposed to Trump. LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, a major Democratic backer, has backed Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden. Over 400 venture capitalists have supported Harris as she ramps her campaign against Trump.

Trending: Don’t miss the real AI boom – here’s how to use just $10 to invest in high growth private tech companies.

A History Of Political Involvement 

Moritz has been active in politics for a while, supporting Democrats and Republicans. According to CNBC, he donated $4.8 million to American Bridge 21st Century, a group planning a $140 million campaign against Trump. He's also backed the Lincoln Project, another organization that opposes Trump.

Read Next:

Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Comments
Loading...
Posted In: Startupsnews accessTrump
Benzinga simplifies the market for smarter investing

Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.

Join Now: Free!