Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has made waves with a surprising shift in his opinion about President Donald Trump. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Altman shared that watching Trump more closely had altered his views, admitting he fell into what he called the “NPC trap” by following popular narratives without critical thought. While he acknowledged he wouldn’t agree with Trump on everything, Altman said he believes Trump could be “incredible for the country in many ways.”
This announcement comes as Altman’s OpenAI joins Trump’s ambitious new AI initiative, Stargate. The project, unveiled earlier this week, is a $500 billion collaboration involving major tech players like SoftBank, Oracle, and Microsoft. Its goal? To solidify America’s dominance in artificial intelligence, with plans to create over 100,000 jobs and establish state-of-the-art data centers in Texas.
Sam Altman’s view on Donald Trump (2021 vs 2025) pic.twitter.com/e9G9EtzXjr
— litquidity (@litcapital) January 23, 2025
Altman’s change of heart is particularly notable given his past vocal opposition to Trump. In 2016, he likened Trump’s rhetoric to 1930s Germany in a blog post and later applauded efforts to block Trump’s re-election in 2020. As a consistent donor to Democratic causes, Altman’s pivot underscores the high stakes of Stargate and its potential to reshape U.S. AI infrastructure.
However, the announcement hasn’t come without drama. Elon Musk, a former ally of Altman and a major Trump supporter, criticized Stargate and accused SoftBank of inflating its financial commitment. Musk, who has a history of clashing with Altman, called him a “swindler” and reignited debates over OpenAI’s profit-driven partnerships. Altman fired back, defending the project’s integrity and even inviting Musk to visit one of the data center sites.
Trump, meanwhile, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, calling Stargate a “monumental undertaking” that will transform the country’s technological landscape. While the project’s success could lead to tighter collaboration between OpenAI and the administration, the ongoing rivalry between Musk and Altman adds an unpredictable layer to the mix.
Listen to Sam Altman yesterday at the Stargate press conference. He doesn’t have much to add, and he says so. He tries to get down off the podium after 30 seconds, but President Trump asks him a question that he can’t answer! 🤣 pic.twitter.com/F420m6MBzP
— JKash 🍊MAGA Queen (@JKash000) January 23, 2025
As the Stargate project moves forward, all eyes will be on how these power players navigate their differences—and whether this collaboration truly delivers on its promises for America’s AI future.