OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who once joked about running for US president if Donald Trump won in 2016, has now signalled a striking shift in his views, expressing openness to Trump’s leadership in a recent post on X, according to Vanity Fair magazine.
Altman reportedly told a high school ex in 2016 that he would run for president himself if Hillary Clinton lost to Trump — a remark later echoed in The New Yorker, which profiled his early political ambitions and vision of tech-led global change. His brothers, Max and Jack, reportedly dismissed the idea at the time as unserious. “Let’s send the Jewish gay guy! That’ll work!” Altman quipped when told he’d just barely meet the age requirement.
Fast forward to 2025, Altman’s tone has changed. Following Trump’s second presidential win, the OpenAI chief wrote: “Watching @potus more carefully recently has really changed my perspective on him... I wish I had done more of my own thinking and definitely fell into the NPC trap.” While acknowledging areas of disagreement, Altman said Trump could be “incredible for the country in many ways.”
The shift comes as Trump unveils a $500 billion AI initiative, dubbed Stargate, aimed at building national AI infrastructure with backing from OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank. According to Vanity Fair, Altman and Trump had communicated before the inauguration — hinting at possible alignment between the two.
Altman’s evolving stance is emblematic of a broader recalibration in Silicon Valley, where some tech leaders are warming to Trump amid deepening ties to national policy and infrastructure.
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Altman reportedly told a high school ex in 2016 that he would run for president himself if Hillary Clinton lost to Trump — a remark later echoed in The New Yorker, which profiled his early political ambitions and vision of tech-led global change. His brothers, Max and Jack, reportedly dismissed the idea at the time as unserious. “Let’s send the Jewish gay guy! That’ll work!” Altman quipped when told he’d just barely meet the age requirement.
Fast forward to 2025, Altman’s tone has changed. Following Trump’s second presidential win, the OpenAI chief wrote: “Watching @potus more carefully recently has really changed my perspective on him... I wish I had done more of my own thinking and definitely fell into the NPC trap.” While acknowledging areas of disagreement, Altman said Trump could be “incredible for the country in many ways.”
The shift comes as Trump unveils a $500 billion AI initiative, dubbed Stargate, aimed at building national AI infrastructure with backing from OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank. According to Vanity Fair, Altman and Trump had communicated before the inauguration — hinting at possible alignment between the two.
Altman’s evolving stance is emblematic of a broader recalibration in Silicon Valley, where some tech leaders are warming to Trump amid deepening ties to national policy and infrastructure.
