Leading figures in the technology industry, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Apple CEO Tim Cook, have recently addressed the escalating concerns over Border Patrol agent violence in Minneapolis, particularly following incidents that led to the deaths of two U.S. citizens. Their responses, however, have been met with a mix of employee pressure, internal criticism, and a degree of public scrutiny, largely due to their simultaneous praise for President Trump.

Anthropic's Dario Amodei publicly voiced his alarm on a Monday night NBC News segment and in a post on X, referencing "the horror we’re seeing in Minnesota." Amodei underscored the critical importance of safeguarding democratic values domestically, stating his belief in arming democracies against autocratic regimes while emphasizing the need to "defend our own democratic values at home." He explicitly confirmed that Anthropic holds no contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

His sister and Anthropic President, Daniela Amodei, echoed these sentiments on LinkedIn, expressing her horror and sadness at the events and asserting that such actions do not represent American values. Notably, Amodei also applauded President Trump’s consideration of allowing Minnesota authorities to conduct an independent investigation into the shootings by federal agents, a move that came after videos of one victim’s death, Alex Pretti, circulated online and garnered calls for investigation from a growing number of Republicans.

Similarly, an internal Slack message from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, leaked to The New York Times, revealed his strong disapproval of ICE's actions, stating, “What’s happening with ICE is going too far.” Altman articulated that "part of loving the country is the American duty to push back against overreach," drawing a clear distinction between deporting violent criminals and the current situation, which he believes requires correct interpretation.

Despite this, Altman also expressed encouragement regarding Trump's more recent responses and conveyed hope that the president, whom he called "a very strong leader," would "rise to this moment and unite the country." He assured employees that OpenAI would strive to "do the right thing," engage with leaders, and advocate for their values. However, Altman has yet to publicly criticize the administration’s broader immigration agenda or the deployment of Border Patrol agents in American cities.

Apple CEO Tim Cook also contributed to the internal dialogue, sending an email to his staff, subsequently leaked to Bloomberg, in which he expressed being “heartbroken by the events in Minneapolis.” Cook, too, tempered his critique with positive remarks about President Trump, mentioning a “good conversation” he had with the President and appreciating "his openness to engaging on issues that matter to us all." This praise stirred controversy among Apple employees, especially after reports surfaced that Cook had attended an exclusive screening of a documentary about First Lady Melania Trump just hours after Alex Pretti’s death.

These nuanced statements from tech leaders came amid intense pressure from tech workers, including employees from OpenAI and Anthropic, who have been urging their CEOs to contact the White House, demand ICE's withdrawal from U.S. cities, cancel all company contracts with ICE, and publicly denounce ICE’s violence. The ICEout.tech organizers, whose identities remain unknown, welcomed the condemnations from Amodei and Altman but emphasized the need for other major tech CEOs, specifically those from Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Meta, to break their silence.

The praise for President Trump embedded within these CEOs' statements has not gone unnoticed. J.J. Colao, founder of PR firm Haymaker Group and a signatory on ICEout.tech’s letter, criticized Altman for attempting to "have it both ways" by simultaneously calling Trump a strong leader, thereby diminishing the statement's impact by implying the president bears no responsibility for ICE’s actions. Colao noted that while Altman's statement was "helpful on net," the "performative tribute to the president does a lot to diminish it."

This balancing act by the CEOs is particularly salient given the significant growth experienced by companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, partly fueled by the Trump administration’s AI-forward policies over the past year. OpenAI, for instance, has seen massive funding rounds, and Anthropic is also in talks for substantial new investments.

Altman's current stance represents a notable shift from his views in 2016, prior to Trump's first term, when he publicly described Trump on his blog as "irresponsible in the way dictators are" and a "demagogic hate-monger." At that time, Altman warned against Trump's divisive rhetoric and appealed for people, especially Republicans, to speak up. Dario Amodei, too, has shown a willingness to challenge Trump administration policies previously, notably criticizing the decision to allow Nvidia to sell AI chips to China, likening it to "selling nuclear weapons."

While the full extent to which these CEOs are meeting the demands of their workforce remains uncertain, even internal and cautiously worded critiques are significant given the substantial financial and political stakes for their companies. Spokespeople from Anthropic and OpenAI confirmed their lack of ICE contracts but offered no further comment on the matter. The evolving situation continues to highlight the complex interplay between corporate values, political engagement, and employee activism within the tech sector.