Profits up, stocks down and angry calls: Tech giants playing nice with Trump hasn’t translated to a windfall
IndependentAPR 15
Google Invests $9 Billion in South Carolina AI Infrastructure
Above: A photo illustration of Google AI Studio logo displayed on a smartphone on July 26, 2025. Image copyright: Avishek Das/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
President Donald Trump's AI Action Plan has catalyzed unprecedented technological momentum, dismantling regulatory barriers while championing American innovation dominance. His administration's strategic deregulation and infrastructure acceleration have unleashed a torrent of confidence across Silicon Valley, attracting trillions in investment commitments that cement America's position as the undisputed global leader in artificial intelligence development and deployment.
Anti-Trump narrative
Silicon Valley's submission to Trump represents a dangerous capitulation of principle to power. Tech giants' billion-dollar gambits expose a troubling reality — corporate America prioritizes access over integrity, and profit over conscience. This alignment with authoritarian impulses — abandoning fact-checking, embracing deregulation and silencing dissent — undermines democratic values precisely when America needs independent corporate leadership.