Business · person

Larry Page on Donald Trump

Maintained neutrality (strong)

TL;DR

Larry Page has generally maintained a public stance of neutrality regarding Donald Trump throughout his political career.

Key Points

  • Former Google CEO Larry Page has maintained a neutral stance publicly, not endorsing any presidential candidate as of late 2024.

  • Following the 2016 election, Page stood beside Sergey Brin when Brin lamented the results, but Page remained silent.

  • In 2018, Page declined to testify in person before the Senate Intelligence Committee investigating social media interference, submitting written testimony instead.

Summary

Larry Page, the co-founder of Google and Alphabet, has largely kept his personal political views separate from his public corporate role, resulting in a pattern of public neutrality concerning Donald Trump. While the broader Google/Alphabet ecosystem saw internal reactions to the Trump administration—with employees protesting immigration orders and YouTube eventually settling a lawsuit with the former president—Page himself avoided taking an explicit public stance endorsing or opposing Trump. In fact, following the 2016 election, Page stood by Sergey Brin as Brin expressed personal offense at the results, yet Page himself did not issue a direct statement of opposition.

This pattern of non-engagement with the political figure contrasts with some of his past political funding, which leaned left-of-center, such as his support for environmental ballot measures, though he is generally considered non-political by industry standards. Furthermore, Page was one of the few technology leaders who refused to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2018 regarding foreign interference, instead submitting written testimony via Alphabet. His public focus remains on technology and long-term ventures, positioning him as maintaining a calculated distance from direct political conflict with the former president.

Key Quotes

“We will not back down on this,” he told reporters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Larry Page has chosen to maintain a public position of neutrality concerning Donald Trump. While his company's platforms and employees have reacted to the political climate, Page himself has avoided making explicit endorsements or criticisms of the former president. This stance has been consistent across his career, especially since stepping down from executive roles.

As of available information, Larry Page has not publicly endorsed Donald Trump, nor has he made explicit public statements opposing him. He is noted for maintaining a neutral stance in presidential races. This contrasts with some of his past political donations, which have supported left-of-center measures.

No, Larry Page refused to appear in person before the Senate Intelligence Committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election in 2018. Instead of testifying, Alphabet and Google provided written testimony to the Committee detailing their security measures. This was a notable decision among invited tech leaders.