Political tensions are boiling over in Silicon Valley as tech billionaires engage in public battles over their differing ideologies. The recent incident in which a gunman attempted to assassinate Donald J. Trump in Butler, Pa., sparked a heated exchange between venture capitalist David Sacks and technology investor Reid Hoffman. Sacks blamed Hoffman for the incident, accusing him of normalizing violence against Trump.
Elon Musk, who has worked with both Sacks and Hoffman in the past, joined the fray by calling out Hoffman on social media. The once close-knit community of tech executives in Silicon Valley, including members of the “PayPal Mafia” like Hoffman, Musk, Sacks, and Peter Thiel, is now divided along political lines. The infighting has spilled over into public forums, conferences, and podcasts, turning debates about the future of the country into personal attacks.
These clashes have strained relationships and alliances among tech leaders who were once colleagues and friends. The rifts among the “PayPal Mafia” and other prominent figures like Vinod Khosla, Marc Andreessen, and Ben Horowitz could potentially shift the power dynamics within Silicon Valley. As the political spats continue to escalate, it remains to be seen how these conflicts will impact the tech industry as a whole.