The Billionaire Group Chats Steering American Politics—One Emoji at a Time

The Billionaire Group Chats Steering American Politics—One Emoji at a Time
👋 Hi, I am Mark. I am a strategic futurist and innovation keynote speaker. I advise governments and enterprises on emerging technologies such as AI or the metaverse. My subscribers receive a free weekly newsletter on cutting-edge technology.

The most powerful political lobby in America today might be a group chat with disappearing messages, Marc Andreessen memes, and zero oversight.

Forget party conventions; America’s new political coalitions were forged in encrypted group chats. A web of elite Signal and WhatsApp threads, spearheaded by Marc Andreessen, Sriram Krishnan, and Erik Torenberg, has quietly shaped the Silicon Valley-to-Trump pipeline since 2020.

These invite-only spaces, once safe havens from “cancel culture,” became incubators for ideological radicalization, meme warfare, and policy influence. Behind closed chat bubbles:

  • Pro-Trump shifts were coordinated across tech’s top names
  • Opposing views were softened or sidelined through exit or silence
  • Debates on AI, DEI, and culture moved from podcast to power

As AI policy, media narratives, and even elections are nudged from inside these invisible salons, should we treat elite group chats as digital governance platforms? If power now resides in encrypted conversations rather than democratic deliberation, what checks—if any—should exist?

Read the full article on Semafor.

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Dr Mark van Rijmenam

Dr Mark van Rijmenam

Dr. Mark van Rijmenam, widely known as The Digital Speaker, isn’t just a #1-ranked global futurist; he’s an Architect of Tomorrow who fuses visionary ideas with real-world ROI. As a global keynote speaker, Global Speaking Fellow, recognized Global Guru Futurist, and 5-time author, he ignites Fortune 500 leaders and governments worldwide to harness emerging tech for tangible growth.

Recognized by Salesforce as one of 16 must-know AI influencers , Dr. Mark brings a balanced, optimistic-dystopian edge to his insights—pushing boundaries without losing sight of ethical innovation. From pioneering the use of a digital twin to spearheading his next-gen media platform Futurwise, he doesn’t just talk about AI and the future—he lives it, inspiring audiences to take bold action. You can reach his digital twin via WhatsApp at: +1 (830) 463-6967.

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