Tech Leaders Shift Right, Deepening Divide in Silicon Valley

Vice-President JD Vance's speech at the Munich Security Conference in February 2025 raised eyebrows as he criticized the European Union for straying from shared values with the U.S., particularly in areas of free speech and digital censorship. He highlighted concerns over incidents like the cancellation of Romanian election results due to alleged Russian disinformation, framing internal threats as more concerning than external ones. In parallel, the tech industry's political landscape is experiencing a divide, with many tech leaders shifting towards conservative populism while the majority of tech workers remain liberal and increasingly disillusioned. This cultural rift is evident in recent protests against Trump, where tech employees expressed growing apprehension about their political environment. Observers note a significant gap between the elite leadership in Silicon Valley and the workforce, indicating a broader shift in the industry's political dynamics. Experts suggest this divide reflects deeper changes within the tech culture, moving from a progressive ethos to a more profit-driven focus.