Key Takeaways
- • Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), told Joe Rogan in a three-hour podcast interview that Silicon Valley's social scene has split cleanly in half following Trump's 2024 victory over Kamala Harris.
- • Andreessen said he was excluded from gatherings of what he called "coastal elites," a penalty for abandoning the Democratic Party, which he attributed primarily to the Biden administration's regulation of crypto.
- • Andreessen alleged that regulators at the SEC, CFTC, FTC and CFPB sought "full government control" of the industry and pressured banks to de-bank his business partners, including David Horowitz, his partner's father.
- • Andreessen described the current moment as "the first profound political realignment probably since the 1960s," with Republicans positioned as the party of common sense, no war, and the working class.
- • Fortune reported that it had requested a response from the White House and had received none at the time of publication.
Summary
Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen said in a podcast interview with Joe Rogan that Silicon Valley has divided into two distinct social circles following Donald Trump's 2024 election win, according to Fortune. Andreessen, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), the largest venture capital firm by his description, said he no longer receives invitations to gatherings dominated by what he termed "coastal elites" as a result of abandoning the Democratic Party to back Trump. He said he would be welcome at gatherings where he might encounter other first-time Trump supporters such as Elon Musk, but he described the other type of gathering as one where attendees "believe every single thing that was in the New York Times that day."
Andreessen, who previously backed Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in 2016, told Rogan that he was a "Democrat in good standing" until recently. He framed the broader shift as "the first profound political realignment probably since the 1960s," arguing that the Republican Party now represented common sense, opposition to war, and the working class, and that the Democratic coalition had fractured across nearly every demographic group.
Andreessen attributed his departure primarily, though not exclusively, to the Biden administration's approach to crypto regulation. He claimed that the SEC, CFTC, FTC and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sought to control industry outcomes, and that regulators told firms in spring meetings to avoid starting new companies because they would not be permitted to succeed. He also said federal agencies pressured banks to revoke access to the financial system for his business partners, including David Horowitz, a Trump supporter and the father of his partner. He described this as "soft totalitarianism" and said the Democratic Party had enforced "lockstep conformity" through cancel culture. Andreessen suggested that Democrats elevate prominent far-left critics such as New York Congressman Ritchie Torres to leadership positions to recover. Fortune said it had contacted the White House for comment but had received no response.
Andreessen, who previously backed Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in 2016, told Rogan that he was a "Democrat in good standing" until recently. He framed the broader shift as "the first profound political realignment probably since the 1960s," arguing that the Republican Party now represented common sense, opposition to war, and the working class, and that the Democratic coalition had fractured across nearly every demographic group.
Andreessen attributed his departure primarily, though not exclusively, to the Biden administration's approach to crypto regulation. He claimed that the SEC, CFTC, FTC and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sought to control industry outcomes, and that regulators told firms in spring meetings to avoid starting new companies because they would not be permitted to succeed. He also said federal agencies pressured banks to revoke access to the financial system for his business partners, including David Horowitz, a Trump supporter and the father of his partner. He described this as "soft totalitarianism" and said the Democratic Party had enforced "lockstep conformity" through cancel culture. Andreessen suggested that Democrats elevate prominent far-left critics such as New York Congressman Ritchie Torres to leadership positions to recover. Fortune said it had contacted the White House for comment but had received no response.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.