Interview: Silicon Valley Tech Giants Backing Today's "Political Predators," Historian Says

In an interview published by NZZ, the discussion centers on Elon Musk's transformation into a leading Trump supporter and the long American tradition of close ties between Big Business and Big Government, from Rockefeller to Musk. The conversation is framed by the provocative thesis that what is radically new is that the political predators of our time are supported by the tech giants of Silicon Valley. The historical parallel is drawn to earlier tycoons whose proximity to the White House was similarly fraught, and the interview notes that this closeness has not always benefited the large industrialists themselves. The exchange examines the implications of Musk's political alignment and the broader pattern of corporate influence on government. The interview appears in NZZ's Feuilleton section, and the source material presents the topic as a critical historical and contemporary analysis rather than a news report.