Topline
Apple CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday told his company’s employees that he was “heartbroken by the events in Minneapolis” and had a talk with President Donald Trump on the matter, reports said, as he became the second major tech CEO to internally address the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota and the death of Alex Pretti at the hands of Border Patrol agents.
Tim Cook and Sam Altman are among the few tech leaders who addressed the immigration crackdown and shootings in Minnesota on Tuesday.
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Key Facts
According to Bloomberg, Cook sent an internal note to Apple staffers saying his “prayers and deepest sympathies are with the families, with the communities, and with everyone that’s been affected.”
The Apple CEO added that he believed it was time for “deescalation”, as he said the company always advocates for treating everyone “with dignity and respect no matter who they are or where they’re from.”
Cook—who attended a screening of a documentary on First Lady Melania Trump at the White House on the day of the shooting—added that he had a “good conversation with the president this week.”
The Apple chief said he shared his views on the matter with Trump and “I appreciate his openness to engaging on issues that matter to us all.”
The internal note comes after Cook came under criticism for choosing to attend the screening even after the shooting had taken place.
What Did Openai Ceo Sam Altman Say About The Incident?
Earlier on Tuesday, The New York Times’ DealBook newsletter reported that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also addressed the shooting and immigration crackdown in Minneapolis in an internal Slack message. In his message, Altman said the tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were going “too far.” Altman wrote: “Part of loving the country is the American duty to push back against overreach…There is a big difference between deporting violent criminals and what’s happening now, and we need to get the distinction right.” The OpenAI CEO then described Trump as a “very strong leader,” and expressed hope that president would unite the country in the following days. “I am encouraged by the last few hours of response and hope to see trust rebuilt with transparent investigations,” Altman added. According to the report, OpenAI employees responded to the post with hundreds of supportive emojis. Altman was the first major CEO to address the crackdown, although he did so in an internal message.
Have Any Other Ceos And Tech Leaders Spoken Out?
Incoming Target CEO Michael Fiddelke also addressed the situation, calling the shootings “incredibly painful,” but stopping short of calling out ICE by name. LinkedIn co-founder and billionaire Reid Hoffman shared posts critical of ICE on social media.
Tangent
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Cook was among several tech and business executives who attended the screening of the Melania Trump documentary at the White House on Saturday night. Around 70 VIPs reportedly attended the event, and the guest list included Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, AMD CEO Lisa Su, boxer Mike Tyson, Queen Rania of Jordan, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan, among others. The screening came under sharp criticism as it took place just hours after the shooting. Investor and writer M. G. Siegler, who’s usually very positive in his coverage of Apple, wrote in his blog that Cook “could have, and should have, backed out of the event. Obviously. The fact that he didn’t either suggests horrible judgement on his part or worse, cowardice.” Prominent tech writer Om Malik wrote in his blog: “Cook is not stupid. He is not evil. He is trapped. The iron clasp of market expectations has turned him into what he never meant to be: a man who goes to parties at the White House while nurses die.”
Chief Critics
Liberal political commentator and podcaster Jon Favreau called out Cook on X, saying: “Hey Tim Cook, what are the views you shared with the President? Do you share any particular thoughts on how you felt about his team smearing a dead American as a terrorist who had just been killed by federal agents? Did Stephen Miller seem willing to embrace our common humanity when you talked to him after the Melania doc screening or is that more of a long-term project for you?” Siegler also added an update to his blog saying: “the clear point of the memo is to suggest that Cook used his time with Trump this week to have a ‘good conversation with the president’. Was that before or after the credits rolled on the movie screening? Cook does not directly address the event itself, which is of course the problem here.”
Further Reading
Inside the White House Screening for Amazon’s ‘Melania’ Doc (The Hollywood Reporter)
Aside From That, Mr. Cook, What Did You Think of the Movie? (Spyglass)
