OpenAI CEO Sam Altman received a letter from Senators Elizabeth Warren and Michael Bennet last week, accusing him of trying to "cozy up" to President Trump to avoid federal scrutiny. The senators asked a series of questions, seemingly aimed at understanding his reasons for donating $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund.
In response, Altman, 39, shared the letter and rejected the suggestion, saying, "Funny, they never sent me one of these for contributing to Democrats."
He further clarified that the donation was a personal contribution, not from his company, adding, "It was a personal contribution as you state; I am confused about the questions given that my company did not make a decision."
The letter pointed out that several big tech companies, including Altman’s, had made "million dollar gifts" to Trump's inaugural fund, implying that they were trying to influence the incoming administration’s policies. The senators expressed concerns about the growing scrutiny of big tech firms by federal regulators.
The letter also mentioned that OpenAI and other tech companies are under investigation, with OpenAI facing an FTC probe over alleged consumer harm and an SEC investigation for potentially misleading investors. The senators suggested that companies like OpenAI, Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft might be trying to "curry favor" with the Trump administration as these investigations continue.
Altman was among the tech leaders invited to Trump’s inauguration, where he was photographed talking to boxers Logan and Jake Paul before the ceremony. Trump’s swearing-in was attended by numerous tech executives and media moguls.