Trump meets with Google CEO to talk China, ‘political fairness’
President Trump on Wednesday revealed he had met with Google CEO Sundar Pichai to discuss the company’s work in China and allegations of anti-conservative bias.
The president said on Twitter that the unscheduled meeting went “very well” following months of Republican attacks against Silicon Valley over how social media companies handle conservative speech.
“Just met with @SundarPichai, President of @Google, who is obviously doing quite well. He stated strongly that he is totally committed to the U.S. Military, not the Chinese Military,” Trump wrote. “Also discussed political fairness and various things that @Google can do for our Country. Meeting ended very well!”
When asked for comment, a spokesperson for Google sent The Hill a statement that called the meeting “productive” but made no mention of any discussions about political speech that the president had alluded to in his tweet.{mosads}
“We were pleased to have productive conversations with the President about investing in the future of the American workforce, the growth of emerging technologies and our ongoing commitment to working with the U.S. government,” the statement read.
The spokesperson did not immediately respond when asked if online political speech had been discussed in the meeting.
Like his repeated attacks on mainstream media outlets, Trump has painted Silicon Valley companies as biased against his administration and conservative voices.
Right-wing tech critics have repeatedly leveled accusations of censorship against social media platforms, alleging that they are “shadow-banning” conservatives, a tactic that effectively suppresses a user’s content by making it harder for others to come across it organically.
“Facebook, Google and Twitter, not to mention the Corrupt Media, are sooo on the side of the Radical Left Democrats. But fear not, we will win anyway, just like we did before!” Trump tweeted last week.
Pichai was also scheduled to meet with Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Wednesday to discuss Google’s operations in China and its reluctance to work for the Pentagon.
Dunford ripped into Google earlier this month before the Senate Armed Services Committee, saying that the company was effectively aiding Chinese forces.
“The work that Google is doing in China is indirectly benefiting the Chinese military,” Dunford said at the hearing.
“We watch with great concern when industry partners work in China knowing there is that indirect benefit,” Dunford added. “And frankly, ‘indirect’ may not be a full characterization of the way it really is. It’s more of a direct benefit to the Chinese military.”
A spokesperson for the Joints Chiefs of Staff told The Hill that Trump’s meeting with Pichai was separate from the meeting with Dunford.
Updated at 4:29 p.m.
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