The Active List of Tech Officials Donald Trump Claims Is Calling Him to Succeed

Trump’s relationship with Apple CEO Tim Cook is one of the sweetest the former president has shared with a Silicon Valley leader. Cook maintained a close relationship with Trump during his time in office, meeting frequently with the president and serving on advisory panels that influence policy decisions affecting Apple’s business, such as taxes and immigration.

Cook has not publicly confirmed that the latest call took place. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment from WIRED.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Shortly after the assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, this summer, the former president said Zuckerberg called him. In an interview with New York magazine, Trump said Zuckerberg said, “‘I will never vote for people who are against you after watching what you have done.’

A spokesperson for Meta disputed what Trump told the magazine, saying, “As Mark has said publicly, he is not endorsing anyone in this race and has never told anyone that he intends to vote.” (Zuckerberg did not endorse anyone in the 2016 and 2020 elections and has said he will not this cycle.)

Although Meta did not want to specify the content of the call, Zuckerberg confirmed that he called Trump after the assassination attempt, calling the former president a “bad ass” in July.

“Seeing Donald Trump get up after being shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with an American flag is one of the worst things I’ve ever seen in my life,” Zuckerberg said.

Under Trump, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has continued to attack dozens from the Trump administration and conservative lawmakers over alleged censorship. In 2020, Zuckerberg donated $350 million to support the pandemic in election departments across the country. Republicans have accused these “Zuckerbucks” donations of being unfairly distributed in Democratic districts. In 2021, following the January 6 protest at the Capitol, Trump was banned from Facebook and Instagram.

Blue Origin CEO and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos

Former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has been under fire in recent days after deciding that the Washington Post will no longer endorse presidential candidates, even though the paper has Harris’ endorsement in the works.

Trump has long criticized Bezos for his ownership of the Washington Post, but Trump said Bezos had called him after this summer’s assassination attempt. “It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen,” Trump told Bezos. “I said, ‘Even though you own the Washington Post, thank you.’ Amazon CEO Andy Jassy reportedly called Trump after the July incident.