海角大神

Why are Silicon Valley leaders criticizing Donald Trump?

In an open letter Thursday, executives from Apple, Facebook, and Twitter, as well as dozens of others, say Mr. Trump would be a "disaster for innovation."

First Look

Just as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg walked back her criticism of Donald Trump on Thursday, Mr. Trump faced a second critique 鈥撀爐his time from prominent technology figures in Silicon Valley.

In signed by almost 150 current and former executives at firms such as Apple, Facebook, eBay, Twitter, and Wikipedia, the tech leaders didn鈥檛 mince words. Saying Mr. Trump 鈥渢raffics in ethnic and racial stereotypes鈥� and citing his comments on 鈥渟hutting down鈥� parts of the internet over security concerns, they argued that the presumptive Republican nominee 鈥渨ould be a disaster for innovation.鈥�

While Silicon Valley leaders have often been somewhat dismissive of the billionaire businessman, the letter鈥檚 emphasis on close collaboration between government and the tech world also highlights the particularly close relationship the Obama administration has nurtured with Silicon Valley.

President Obama in 2009, a chair that鈥檚 now occupied by Megan Smith, a veteran of Google. He has pushed for the Federal Communication鈥檚 approval of rules on net neutrality, a cause supported by many prominent tech figures.

His administration has also become " to the tech world, with former press secretary Jay Carney going to work at Amazon 鈥撀爓here he has defended the company against reports about its working conditions 鈥撀爓hile campaign manager David Plouffe now works for the ride-hailing company Uber.

But that would likely change if Trump becomes president, the letter writers argue.

"We believe that government plays an important role in the technology economy by investing in infrastructure, education and scientific research," they write. "Donald Trump articulates few policies beyond erratic and contradictory pronouncements. His reckless disregard for our legal and political institutions threatens to upend what attracts companies to start and scale in America."

While Trump in June that 鈥淚 have great respect for Silicon Valley,鈥� he has also repeatedly taken shots at individual leaders and policies alike. At one point, his barbs aimed at Amazon鈥檚 Jeff鈥檚 Bezos over the company鈥檚 taxes prompted Mr. Bezos to propose .

He has particularly been critical of H-1B visas, which are given to foreign professionals working in specific, skilled occupations, such as technology. 鈥淚 know the H-1B very well,鈥� Trump said at a Republican debate in March, . 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 something I frankly use and shouldn鈥檛 be allowed to use it.鈥�

But in Silicon Valley, immigration reform has emerged as a key focus for figures such as Facebook head Mark Zuckerberg, who founded an immigration reform-focused lobbying group called FWD.us.

Noting that 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children, the letter鈥檚 signers write: 鈥淲e believe that America鈥檚 diversity is our strength 鈥� We also believe that progressive immigration policies help us attract and retain some of the brightest minds on earth 鈥撀爏cientists, entrepreneurs, and creators.鈥�

The letter, which is signed by Tim Wu, who coined the phrase 鈥渘et neutrality," also says that Trump鈥檚 call to 鈥渃lose up鈥� or shut down the internet 鈥渄emonstrat[es] both poor judgment and ignorance about how the technology works.鈥�

The letter also singles out Trump鈥檚 鈥減enchant to censor鈥� media outlets and online platforms that criticize him 鈥� including The Washington Post, which is owned by Amazon鈥檚 Bezos.

Some of the rare tech world figures who say they support Trump have also noted that Trump鈥檚 brashness jibes with that of Silicon Valley 鈥� which could give them a reason to be weary.

鈥淪ilicon Valley is an extremely disruptive place,鈥� Scott Slinker, an entrepreneur who donated $250 to the candidate last summer, told the Times. 鈥淏ut the one thing it doesn鈥檛 want disrupted is Silicon Valley. And so it鈥檚 pushing back on Trump.鈥�