Republican frontrunner nominee for the US Presidential elections 2016, Donald Trump’s views on technology and the tech industry, in general, are anything but comprehensible. For a person who “rarely” uses email, the internet is a menace- “We’re losing a lot of people because of the Internet,” Trump said. “We have to go see Bill Gates and a lot of different people that really understand what’s happening. We have to talk to them about, maybe in certain areas, closing that Internet up in some way. Somebody will say, ‘Oh freedom of speech, freedom of speech.’ These are foolish people. We have a lot of foolish people.” (2015, CNN)
Sometimes outlandish, sometimes outrightly bizarre and sometimes contradictory to his earlier recorded statements, Trump’s views and tech quotient surely need expert analysis, if only such experts exist.
Trump on Tech Industry (Breitbart interview)
- "I am a big believer in technology."
- "I have always been concerned about the social breakdown of our culture caused by technology,"
Sir, little more elucidation, please.
Trump's immigration reform policy and H-1B Visas
- “We graduate two times more Americans with STEM degrees each year than find STEM jobs, yet as much as two-thirds of entry-level hiring for IT jobs is accomplished through the H-1B program. More than half of H-1B visas are issued for the program's lowest allowable wage level, and more than eighty percent for its bottom two. Raising the prevailing wage paid to H-1Bs will force companies to give these coveted entry-level jobs to the existing domestic pool of unemployed native and immigrant workers in the U.S., instead of flying in cheaper workers from overseas. This will improve the number of black, Hispanic and female workers in Silicon Valley who have been passed over in favor of the H-1B program. Mark Zuckerberg's personal Senator, Marco Rubio, has a bill to triple H-1Bs that would decimate women and minorities.” (Trump's immigration reform policy whitepaper)
- “I was not at all critical of him. I was not at all. In fact, frankly, he's complaining about the fact that we're losing some of the most talented people. They go to Harvard. They go to Yale. They go to Princeton. They come from another country and they're immediately sent out. I am all in favor of keeping these talented people here so they can go to work in Silicon Valley.” (Republican Presidential Debate in October)
Mark, did you get that? We didn’t.
On Intellectual Property
- As President, my goal would be to ensure that the intellectual property produced in America remains the property of those who produce it. Letting other countries steal our property will not happen on my watch. (2015, Breitbart)
Remember, I am the only one who is self-funding my campaign. All of the other candidates are bought and paid for by special interests!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 8, 2016
- It has come to our attention that you have registered the Domain Name STOPTRUMP. The US and have made a deliberate attempt to sell T-shirts online using TRUMP and DONALD TRUMP brands without any authorization from Mr. Trump … Your registration (and use) of the Domain Name also constitutes cyberpiracy in violation of the U.S. Anti-Cybersquatting Act … Mr. Trump considers this to be a very serious matter.” (2015, ArsTechnica)
No Apple for Trump
- “I predicted Apple’s stock fall based on their dumb refusal to give the option of a larger iPhone screen like Samsung. I sold my Apple stock” (2014, Twitter)
I use both iPhone & Samsung. If Apple doesn't give info to authorities on the terrorists I'll only be using Samsung until they give info.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2016
- I think what you ought to do is boycott Apple until such time as they give that security number. How do you like that? I just thought of that … Boycott Apple! (2016)
Apples are sour for Mr. Trump. Twitter
- "My Twitter has become so powerful that I can actually make my enemies tell the truth.”
I will be using Facebook and Twitter to expose dishonest lightweight Senator Marco Rubio. A record no-show in Senate, he is scamming Florida
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2016
- “Twitter will soon be irrelevant if lowlifes are so easily able to hack into accounts.” (2013, Twitter)
Trump on NASA
- “It is very sad to see what @BarackObama has done with NASA. He has gutted the program and made us dependent on the Russians.” (2012, Twitter)
- “You know, in the old days,
was great… right now, we have bigger problems — you understand that? We’ve got to fix our potholes. You know, we don’t exactly have a lot of money.” (2015, Washington Post via Engadget)
Wish NASA could send him in space before US Presidential elections.