Business leaders and CEOs are voicing well wishes for former President Donald Trump following the attempt on his life at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday, which claimed the life of one spectator and injured two others.
Before Trump announced Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his VP pick on Monday, public figures and tech leaders including Mark Cuban, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk condemned the violence, and, in some cases, even endorsed the presidential candidate.
Here are how CEOs and business leaders reacted to the weekend’s events.
Mark Zuckerberg
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took to Threads to pen a message calling for a “quick recovery” for Trump, saying that Saturday was a “sad day” for America and noted that “political violence undermines democracy.”
Zuckerberg is not affiliated with any political party, though a 2019 Time report found that the billionaire was quietly recommending potential hires to now-U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 presidential campaign team.
Jeff Bezos
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos praised Trump on X for his “tremendous grace and courage” and mourned the other victims of the violence along with their families.
Our former President showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire tonight. So thankful for his safety and so sad for the victims and their families.
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) July 14, 2024
Bezos has previously donated to both Democratic and Republican candidates and organizations, including former President Barack Obama and former President Donald Trump. He has yet to endorse a candidate for the 2024 election.
He is also the owner of The Washington Post.
Tim Cook
The Apple CEO strongly condemned the violence and said that he hoped Trump would have a “rapid recovery.”
I pray for President Trump’s rapid recovery. My thoughts are with him, the other victims and the Trump family. I strongly condemn this violence.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) July 14, 2024
Cook and Trump met a number of times during Trump’s presidency, particularly during Washington’s trade war with Beijing, China, a place where Apple produces much of its product base.
“I feel very strongly about engaging with people regardless of whether they agree with you or not,” Cook told GQ last April regarding his meetings with the former president. “I actually think it’s even more important to engage when there’s disagreement.”
Brian Chesky
The Airbnb CEO shared on X that he was “horrified” by the attempted assassination and said that he was “thankful” for Trump’s safety.
I’m horrified by today’s political violence, and I’m thankful President Trump wasn’t seriously injured. My thoughts are with him and his family.
— Brian Chesky (@bchesky) July 14, 2024
Chesky expressed criticism over Trump’s desire to build a wall between Mexico and the U.S. at a 2016 panel at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. In 2022, he donated $100 million to the Obama Foundation.
Related: Elon Musk Endorses Trump, Says ‘Dangerous Times Ahead’
“Anyone who tries to put up barriers against culture is going to be on the wrong side of history,” Chesky said at the time.
Mark Cuban
Cuban took to X in a series of posts that thanked the U.S. Secret Service for their actions.
Let’s just hope the former President is Ok and no one else was injured.
And let’s hope they catch the idiot who did this. This is not the way
And thank you to the Secret Service who put themselves in harms way to protect the former President
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 13, 2024
Cuban also took the opportunity to warn his followers about potential grifters and scammers who may take advantage of the tragedy to steal funds through fake fundraisers that claim to raise money for victims.
I know some people may say it’s not the right time to share this. But, I don’t think anyone disagrees that there are a lot of bots and fake accounts on social media.
When tragedy and horrific events like the assassination attempt on former President Trump happens, it brings… https://t.co/DgiOd0r6Y8
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 14, 2024
Cuban has often been critical of Trump and has made it clear that he is not endorsing him for President.
“I’m no supporter of Trump,” Cuban said in a March 2024 post on X. “That’s for damn sure.”
Elon Musk
Elon Musk formally endorsed Trump for President following the shooting on Saturday, just one day after a Bloomberg report revealed that Musk had donated to Trump’s 2024 campaign.
I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery pic.twitter.com/ZdxkF63EqF
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 13, 2024
