What Trump’s alliance with tech billionaires signals for everyday Floridians

Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, who top the list of the world’s wealthiest people, sat behind Trump as he took his oath of office as president, raising concerns for what Trump’s second term means for America. 

In a blatant display of wealth and power that was noticed around the world, the world’s three richest people were given prime positions at President Donald Trump’s inauguration Monday.

Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg, who top the list of the world’s wealthiest people, according to Forbes, sat behind Trump as he took his oath of office as the 47th president of the US, a high-visibility position that, according to US Senator Bernie Sanders, signals that “the billionaire class now controls our government.” 

Those concerned about Trump’s strong alliance with tech billionaires also point to the naming of Musk to lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to advise the White House on cuts to public spending. Musk spent $277 million of his own money to help Trump and other Republicans win November’s election and his social media platform, X, is a strong supporter of pro-Trump voices.

For his part, Bezos, as owner of The Washington Post, raised concerns when he blocked the newspaper’s planned endorsement of Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Critics accuse Bezos of bending the knee to Trump in exchange for government contracts and reduced regulatory scrutiny for Amazon.

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Meta CEO Zuckerberg, whom Trump had threatened with life imprisonment months ago, also showed his alignment to Trump’s conservative stance by eliminating fact-checking in the United States and relaxing hate speech restrictions on Facebook and Instagram.

“These are very wealthy people who have basically paid for access, which is something that they would do for any upcoming administration even if we all recognize Trump is very transactional,” Andrew Selepak, a media professor at the University of Florida, told The Economic Times.

The birth of an oligarchy

An oligarchy is defined as a system of government in which an elite few (those on the top of the food chain) control the government’s actions. 

In Florida, Gay Valimont, the Democrat running for Congress in the FL-01 special election which will be held in April, believes Trump’s connection with tech billionaires signals a dangerous shift in American government.

“He is with the tech companies; he’s in bed with anybody that has money,” Valimont told Floricua. “We have people, billionaires, that are making our legislation, and they cannot possibly know how we live. They cannot possibly understand how we live. It’s shameful, but it’s also another grift from Donald Trump. It is a way to make money. It’s not about legislating; it’s about stuffing his pockets full of their money.”

Democratic Rep. Anna V. Eskamani also found it significant that during his inaugural speech, Trump did not address the core economic challenges faced by everyday Americans who battle the high costs of rent, property insurance, healthcare, and basic necessities like gas and groceries.

“Instead, he centered on anti-immigrant and culture war rhetoric. He was also surrounded by out of touch tech billionaires, demonstrating where his true alliances lie,” Eskamani told Floricua, adding that in the new administration, “we will do everything we can to support and protect all of our communities.”

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