The New Situation After Trump's Election: The Interweaving of Tech Capital and Politics

After Trump was re-elected, the connection between the cryptocurrency and Web3 sectors and real-world politics entered a new phase. In addition to some public key appointments, several behind-the-scenes key figures, including Peter Thiel, will become decisive factors.

Peter Thiel is not only a well-known investor and technology entrepreneur, but also a low-key yet highly influential political participant. In this political drama, he plays the role of a behind-the-scenes strategist, which could have a profound impact on the influence of technology capital in the political arena of the United States and even globally in the coming years.

Peter Thiel and J.D. Vance's Political Alliance

In 2011, Peter Thiel criticized society's blind adherence to traditional professions during a speech at Yale Law School, emphasizing that technological innovation should address real problems. These remarks profoundly influenced J.D. Vance, a student present at the time, prompting him to rethink his career plans.

Under the influence of Peter Thiel, J.D. Vance abandoned a traditional legal career to join Thiel's venture capital firm and began venturing into the field of venture capital. During this time, Vance wrote the memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," describing his upbringing in a working-class family in Ohio. The book quickly became a bestseller after its publication and is considered to reveal the mindset of Trump supporters.

Although Vance initially held a critical attitude towards Trump, he gradually established a connection with Trump through the introduction of Peter Thiel. Thiel not only arranged meetings between the two but also provided significant support for Vance's political career, including donating large sums of money to political action committees that supported Vance.

With Thiel's support, Vance successfully won the election for Senator of Ohio and became Trump's vice presidential running mate. This reflects the influence of some conservative forces in Silicon Valley in American politics.

Reshuffling of Capital Power

This year's U.S. presidential election can be seen as the beginning of a power reshuffle within capitalism. The "new capital," represented by the Silicon Valley tech elite, is challenging the "old capital," represented by Wall Street, vying for greater discourse power and the right to profit distribution.

In the past decade, emerging fields represented by AI and cryptocurrencies have become the engines of economic growth. These emerging industries emphasize efficiency, innovation, and decentralization, calling for "less regulation" as a common demand. Their vision is to redefine the rules of wealth creation through higher technological efficiency and greater capital flow.

However, this path of liberalization and deregulation may further strengthen the dominant positions of tech giants and capital tycoons. Technologies such as AI and cryptocurrencies may concentrate wealth more efficiently, accelerating the widening gap between the rich and the poor, while also further marginalizing the interests of traditional industrial workers, who are part of Trump's base.

Key Choices for the Future

In the long run, whether the American political and economic system can find a balance between "new capital" and "old capital" will directly determine the ultimate direction of this power reshuffling. "Old capital" needs to adapt more flexibly to the social changes brought about by new technologies while defending its core position in rule-making. "New capital," on the other hand, needs to persuade a broader society to accept the costs of wealth redistribution brought about by technological expansion.

The outcome of this struggle is not only related to the political and economic landscape of the United States but will also profoundly impact the future direction of global capitalism. An era that is more globalized and technology-driven is approaching, with the key lying in how to redefine the distribution patterns of power, resources, and rules.

Cryptocurrency and AI will undoubtedly become the main battleground. The entire cryptocurrency field is both a symbol of decentralized finance and capital liberalization, and a key tool for tech capital to counter traditional finance and reshape the rules.

The future is full of opportunities, whether in AI, cryptocurrencies, or other emerging fields, their core narratives remain attractive: freedom, efficiency, innovation. This process will also test whether all parties can find a compromise amid conflicts of interest.

From "Trump Trading" to Peter Thiel's behind-the-scenes布局, what we see is not just an election, but a struggle for the future rules. This is bound to be a profound contest over resources, power, and rules.