Andrew Ross Sorkin

They think of it as practical. They don't think of it as hypocritical. You know, back in 2016, I think a lot of CEOs didn't go down to Mar-a-Lago because they were skittish. They were skittish in part because their employees were skittish. They were skittish in part because I think the country broadly was truly skittish. That's not to suggest the country isn't broadly skittish today, but I think

They think of it as practical. They don't think of it as hypocritical. You know, back in 2016, I think a lot of CEOs didn't go down to Mar-a-Lago because they were skittish. They were skittish in part because their employees were skittish. They were skittish in part because I think the country broadly was truly skittish. That's not to suggest the country isn't broadly skittish today, but I think

They see Trump as somebody who likes the relationship. And it's almost in opposition to President Biden, who did not take the meeting. President Biden was not meeting with CEOs in America, didn't want to meet with CEOs in America, wanted to meet with union leaders in America, but not CEOs. And so they all see this as an opportunity.

They see Trump as somebody who likes the relationship. And it's almost in opposition to President Biden, who did not take the meeting. President Biden was not meeting with CEOs in America, didn't want to meet with CEOs in America, wanted to meet with union leaders in America, but not CEOs. And so they all see this as an opportunity.

To effectively get in front of the president and hope not that they can persuade him of something today, but that as the debate over tariffs goes on, for example, that they will be able to make a call later.

To effectively get in front of the president and hope not that they can persuade him of something today, but that as the debate over tariffs goes on, for example, that they will be able to make a call later.

And if you're Tim Cook at Apple and you're worried about tariffs in China where you manufacture a majority of your iPhones, you're hoping that you're going to be able to pick up the phone and call him in a couple of months and say, you know what? I have an idea about creating a carve out for, you know, a certain type of electronics product from a certain region in China.

And if you're Tim Cook at Apple and you're worried about tariffs in China where you manufacture a majority of your iPhones, you're hoping that you're going to be able to pick up the phone and call him in a couple of months and say, you know what? I have an idea about creating a carve out for, you know, a certain type of electronics product from a certain region in China.

And we can come up with an explanation for why that particular area won't have the same tariff as other parts of China.

And we can come up with an explanation for why that particular area won't have the same tariff as other parts of China.

That's what's going on here.

That's what's going on here.

You know, I think Tim Cook is actually a great example of it. Through Trump's first term, Tim Cook clearly created a relationship with Trump and, as a result, stayed out of the crosshairs despite all of the back and forth with China and everything else. And so I think there is a view that he is persuadable. He is transactional.

You know, I think Tim Cook is actually a great example of it. Through Trump's first term, Tim Cook clearly created a relationship with Trump and, as a result, stayed out of the crosshairs despite all of the back and forth with China and everything else. And so I think there is a view that he is persuadable. He is transactional.

And if you can create a relationship with him, at least you will have the opportunity. It's not clear that all these CEOs are going to succeed at whatever they're asking for, but they're getting a seat at the table. And from a practical perspective, that's all they can ask for today. Now, I think they also worry about what happens later. But I think the view is we'll worry when we have to worry.

And if you can create a relationship with him, at least you will have the opportunity. It's not clear that all these CEOs are going to succeed at whatever they're asking for, but they're getting a seat at the table. And from a practical perspective, that's all they can ask for today. Now, I think they also worry about what happens later. But I think the view is we'll worry when we have to worry.

But for now, we're going to try to befriend this person. Maggie?

But for now, we're going to try to befriend this person. Maggie?

I have so many thoughts, if you'd indulge me for a moment. Please. So it is very factual that during the first Trump term, Amazon was targeted by Trump in part because Trump was unhappy with Bezos' ownership of the Washington Post.

I have so many thoughts, if you'd indulge me for a moment. Please. So it is very factual that during the first Trump term, Amazon was targeted by Trump in part because Trump was unhappy with Bezos' ownership of the Washington Post.