Epic Games founder and CEO Tim Sweeney criticized major technology executives for supporting President-elect Donald Trump. Sweeney accused companies like Apple, Google and Meta of favoring their own interests by promoting anti-competitive policies, which he said hurt consumers and smaller competitors. said.
Sweeney expressed concern about “I’m doing it,” he said. He warned the public about efforts to denigrate competition law, describing it as a “sneaky monopolistic campaign”.
Sweeney’s complaints relate to Epic Games’ ongoing battle with Apple and Google for control of the mobile software market. Epic aims to deliver games like Fortnite on iPhone and Android devices without using an official app store or paying hefty fees to Apple or Google.
As President Trump prepares to take office, major technology companies are showing public support for his administration. Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google reportedly each donated $1 million to President Trump’s inauguration. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly relaxed Facebook’s content moderation policies, a move seen as appealing to President Trump’s political supporters. Amazon also donated $1 million. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has praised President Trump and expressed willingness to support his administration, but no funding from Nvidia has been announced.
Sweeney’s concerns echo those that the Trump administration will take a more lenient stance on antitrust issues. FTC Chair Lina Khan has emphasized the importance of strong antitrust enforcement, but there is skepticism about the administration’s efforts. Khan recently expressed hope that companies like Amazon and Meta won’t receive preferential treatment in future antitrust cases.
Mr. Sweeney vowed to continue fighting against what he described as Apple and Google’s “totally broken vision of the world.” While his campaign has had some success in Europe, progress in the United States remains limited.
Observers say many of these donations and public gestures are likely to be strategic and aimed at influencing policies that benefit large corporations. . By aligning with President Trump, these companies may seek to reduce regulatory pressure and avoid strict antitrust enforcement.
Sweeney’s comments highlight the growing gulf between small companies like Epic Games and the tech giants that dominate the industry. The battle for competition in technology is ongoing, and the stakes will be even higher under the new administration.
