New York – President-elect Donald Trump was certainly on the mind when media executives, financial bigwigs and tech entrepreneurs gathered Wednesday. New York City Hear from the world’s most influential people at the annual New York Times Dealbook Summit.
Rather than the hostility one might expect from elites at the ceremony, some were optimistic.
“I’m very hopeful — they seem to have a lot of power in reducing regulation,” billionaire Jeff Bezos told Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin during an on-stage conversation.
“My view is, if I can help him do that, I’m going to help him,” Bezos continued. “Because we have too much control in this country.”
Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos said Wednesday at the New York Times Dealbook Summit that he was “optimistic” about Trump’s second administration. (New York Times Dealbook Summit 2024 Live/Posted by Andrew Ross Sorkin)
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Bezos, who owns the Washington Post, faced significant setbacks by employees and subscribers when she denied the liberal newspaper’s planned endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris days before the election.
“It was the right decision,” Bezos told Sorkin.
“I’m proud of the decision we made, and it was far from cowardly because we knew there would be blowback,” he said. “We did the right thing.”
Bezos dismissed the belief that he did not want Harris to endorse his paper because Trump might harbor a grudge against Amazon, the Washington Post or his other companies. He suggested he would like to see more from Trump after his victory over Harris.
“I think President Trump is serious about this regulatory agenda, and he has a good chance of succeeding,” Bezos said.
Sorkin then asked, “What about this idea that they think the press is the enemy?”
Bezos said he would “try and talk it out” and that Trump had “grown up” in the past few years.
“I don’t think they see it the same way. Maybe I’m wrong,” Bezos said.
“What I’ve seen so far is that he’s calmer than the first time,” Bezos added. “And the more confident, the more settled.”
President-elect Donald Trump was top of mind for media executives, financial bigwigs and tech entrepreneurs at the annual New York Times Dealbook Summit. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Bezos wasn’t the only high-profile speaker to discuss Trump.
Former President Bill Clinton, who told Sorkin he repeatedly promised not to pardon his son Hunter Biden if President Biden was going to do it anyway, also provoked the incoming president.
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Clinton said Democrats have not learned to disagree with the press without sounding like a “left-wing version of Donald Trump,” adding that some Republicans appreciate anti-press rhetoric, while liberals often resent it.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell spoke at the event and said he was “confident” that working with Trump’s Treasury nominee Scott Besant would be smooth. “Call Her Daddy” podcast host Alex Cooper revealed that her team had discussions with Trump’s campaign — the interview never took place, but she Harris interviewed him – and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman dismissed concerns that Elon Musk’s close relationship to Trump could harm OpenAI.
Alex Cooper, host of “Call Her Daddy” and founder of the Unwell Network, speaks at the New York Times Annual Dealbook Summit on Jazz at Lincoln Center on December 04, 2024 in New York City. ((Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images))
“I believe very strongly that Elon will do the right thing, and that it is deeply un-American for Elon to use political power to the extent that it harms competitors and benefits his own businesses,” Altman told Sorkin.
Citadel CEO Ken Griffin, a GOP donor, kicked things off hours before Bezos took the stage by suggesting that America “get back to business” to a jazz-filled crowd at Lincoln Center.
“For corporate America, it’s a better world today than it was before the election,” Griffin told Sorkin.
The annual DealBook conference in New York City showcases some of the world’s most influential people. Other speakers include Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and tennis legend Serena Williams.
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Former CNN chief Chris Licht, New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft, billionaire hedge fund guru Bill Ackman, Polymarket CEO Shane Coplan, longtime anchor Katie Couric, former CNN chief Jeff Zucker, Lance Armstrong and fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff attended. of Sumit.
