How Sam Altman replaced Elon Musk as Trump’s go-to voice on AI

How Sam Altman replaced Elon Musk as Trump’s go-to voice on AI

Sam Altman’s transformation from Silicon Valley liberal to one of Donald Trump’s most influential technology partners is one of the most unexpected power shifts in Washington. After years of backing Democrats and publicly denouncing Trump, Altman—chief executive of OpenAI—has emerged as a central figure in the Trump administration’s artificial intelligence agenda, capitalizing on Elon Musk’s abrupt fallout with the president, the Wall Street Journal reported.

From political outsider to Oval Office insider

Altman was once sidelined in Trumpworld. Following the 2024 election, Musk’s status as Trump’s top tech adviser kept Altman on the margins, with no seat at major meetings and only limited access through intermediaries. But Altman bided his time. As Musk overplayed his hand and lashed out publicly over AI deals he wasn’t part of, Altman forged a direct relationship with Trump, including personal dinners, White House visits, and behind-the-scenes lobbying for OpenAI’s Stargate initiative—a massive AI infrastructure build-out backed by Oracle and SoftBank.

Shifting alliances and strategic regret

A longtime Democrat who once compared Trump to Hitler, Altman publicly renounced his party affiliation in July, citing frustration with progressive economic policies and their approach to AI regulation. This ideological shift came just as Trump’s administration was finalizing pro-industry orders, including fast-tracked permitting for energy and data centre projects—precisely the type of environment Altman needed to expand OpenAI’s operations globally.

Rivalry with Musk fuels Altman’s ascent

The collapse of Trump’s relationship with Musk opened the door for Altman. A bitter lawsuit between Musk and OpenAI had already soured their friendship, and Altman’s surprise appearance alongside Trump to announce a $500 billion Stargate partnership enraged Musk. Despite Musk’s efforts to block the next phase of the deal in Abu Dhabi, Altman prevailed, even if the White House had to scale back public support to avoid further fallout.

Influence in policy and defence

As Musk receded, Altman’s influence grew. He landed a $200 million Pentagon contract, won support from top Trump advisers, and will soon keynote a Federal Reserve conference on AI and the economy. His priorities—unleashing American energy, loosening export rules, and accelerating chip infrastructure—now mirror Trump’s stated goals for maintaining AI supremacy over China.

A new kind of political player

Altman isn’t a traditional Republican and says he remains politically “homeless.” But his philosophy of “techno-capitalism”—favouring wealth generation through innovation and private enterprise—has found fertile ground in Trump’s second-term agenda. With the administration’s AI action plan expected later this month, Altman is poised to shape not just the future of OpenAI, but how the U.S. builds and governs AI across the globe.