Will Donald Trump's personnel choices worry Big Tech?

Donald Trump has carefully built a loyal, steadfast team that he intends to place in key positions during his second presidential term. Notably, among them are a number of prominent figures known for their strong and uncompromising criticism of Big Tech.

Tech giants like Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft are facing a clear threat as Trump begins to outline his team for a second presidential term. He has selected figures such as Matt Gaetz, his nominee for Attorney General, and Brendan Carr, the nominee to head the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), both known for their tough stances on Big Tech.

With escalating threats of action against the tech industry if he returns to the White House, Trump appears to be preparing for an uncompromising confrontation, promising far-reaching changes in the relationship between the administration and leading tech companies.

Contrary to Big Tech concerns, some Silicon Valley venture investors view a second term for Trump as a golden opportunity. They bet that his deregulation policies could become a powerful catalyst, fostering innovation and sparking a new wave of startups. In their eyes, these changes not only provide a competitive advantage but also usher in a promising era of growth for fledgling tech businesses.

Below are Trump's strategic choices, revealing many interesting things about his relationship with the technology industry.

Brendan Carr

Brendan Carr, currently working at the FCC, doesn't hesitate to criticize large tech companies, calling them "censorship corporations." He also contributes to the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, where he boldly argues that the FCC needs to take a leading role in repealing Section 230 – the fundamental law that allows tech companies to avoid liability related to third-party content. With this tough stance, Carr is becoming a formidable figure in the legal battle against Big Tech.

As a close ally of Elon Musk, Brendan Carr recently wrote an editorial in the newspaper.Wall Street JournalHe strongly criticized the FCC's decision to withdraw $885 million in funding for Starlink – Musk's satellite internet project.

With a clear stance in support of Starlink, Carr is likely to leverage his new position to promote further support measures, not only helping Starlink recover but also enhancing its competitiveness against Kuiper, Amazon's rival satellite system. This signals a new battle of wits in the satellite technology sector between the tech giants.

Brendan Carr has openly supported a ban on TikTok, a policy that Donald Trump strongly advocated during his first term but later abandoned. However, the big question remains: if he returns to the White House, how will the Trump administration handle the increasing pressure to force ByteDance – TikTok's parent company – to sever ties with its Chinese owners? This is not just a policy dilemma, but also a test of Trump's hardline stance on national security and technology.

Matt Gaetz

Matt Gaetz, a former Florida congressman and Donald Trump's nominee for Attorney General, has long been one of the strongest critics of large tech corporations. Immediately after Trump was banned from numerous social media platforms following the 2021 Capitol riots, Gaetz spoke out, accusing the tech giants of seriously violating the free speech rights of American citizens.

With this tough stance, Gaetz not only reflects a shared ideology with Trump but also signals a challenging judicial policy for Big Tech.

Gaetz is also a strong advocate for strict antitrust enforcement, a surprising stance that puts him on the same side as Lina Khan, the current chair of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Gaetz has even offered considerable praise for Khan, highlighting their shared commitment to confronting the overwhelming power of large tech corporations.

While serving as a member of Congress in 2020, Gaetz attempted to pass a package of bills that could have been one of the most significant antitrust reforms in decades.

At a House Judiciary Committee hearing last year, Gaetz expressed deep concern about Google's "monopolistic power." He urged Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, to continue vigorously pursuing lawsuits against Google and other major tech corporations. Gaetz stressed the importance of reining in these tech giants to protect fair competition and consumer rights.

Elon Musk

Elon Musk, Trump's nominee to lead the new Administration for Efficiency, is a contradictory figure in his relationship with Big Tech. While a pioneering icon of the tech industry, Musk is also known for his sharp criticism of the industry's giants. This makes him both unpredictable and a potentially powerful figure in shaping the future of Big Tech under the Trump administration.

Musk often leverages his powerful influence on X – the social media platform he owns – to publicly criticize and challenge Google, creating notable public confrontations in the tech industry.

Billionaire Musk is also embroiled in a tense confrontation with Apple and CEO Tim Cook. Earlier this year, he even threatened to remove all Apple devices from his companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, xAI, and X, after Apple publicly partnered with OpenAI, one of the tech rivals Musk frequently targets. This dispute further clarifies Musk's uncompromising stance toward tech giants he considers to be against his interests.

JD Vance

JD Vance, Donald Trump's choice for Vice President, with his extensive experience in venture capital, has long been known as a strong advocate for breaking up tech giants. This hardline stance not only reflects his vision of fair competition but also lays the groundwork for more aggressive policies toward Big Tech in his new term.

JD Vance shared that his experience working in Silicon Valley has made him highly wary of large tech corporations. He doesn't hesitate to criticize Facebook and Apple, arguing that their business models rely on drawing users into screens full of ads, increasing dependence and reducing quality of life. These criticisms show Vance's determination to confront Big Tech for the benefit of consumers.

He frankly stated that these "tech giants" are essentially acting as "parasites" in the economy, maximizing benefits without creating commensurate value.

Vance has strongly called for the breakup of Google to reduce the tech giant's monopolistic power. At the same time, he has not hesitated to express his admiration for Lina Khan, Chair of the FTC, for her uncompromising efforts in confronting Big Tech.