Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has criticized corporate America, and specifically the technology sector, for what she described as an "embarrassing" rush to embrace Donald Trump following his 2016 election win.
Speaking on "The Briefing," Psaki recalled a period where many businesses and institutions, in her view, perceived a significant and lasting shift in the nation's political landscape due to Trump's victory. She characterized this as a "delusional idea" that the country had entered a new era defined by Trumpism.
"American corporations and institutions all had to rush to get on board with his agenda," Psaki stated. She pointed to large law firms and major media organizations as examples of entities that she said "bent the knee to Trump," with some media outlets settling lawsuits and paying significant sums. Psaki specifically highlighted the actions of "Silicon Valley tech titans" who, she contended, "tripped all over themselves to grovel before the mad king."
She named figures such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Tim Cook as examples of tech leaders who she felt demonstrated this behavior. "It was all just incredibly embarrassing for all of these guys, but that was how too much of corporate America reacted to Trump’s second term," Psaki said. "They cowered before him, like he and the MAGA world he created were going to reign all-powerful for a thousand years moving forward."
Psaki suggested that those familiar with Trump's past behavior should have anticipated subsequent events. She argued that the perception of Trump's enduring power has now faded, particularly in light of his falling poll numbers amid ongoing political challenges. "The illusion of Trump’s lasting power and influence has completely faded away, and now even members of his own party are trying to wash some of the Trump stink off of themselves," she commented.