Anticipated Impacts on The Tech Sector Under a Trump Presidency

The social media-savvy President-elect is set to ascend the presidential Twitter throne, inheriting over 11 million followers on January 20, 2017 following President Obama’s departure. Beyond his abundant following and frequent tweets, however, are the realistic expectations for the tech sector under his leadership. This article explores what the future of key technology sub-sectors may look like under a Trump administration.

**NASA**

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), while not technically a military offshoot, has significant ties with the American military, recruiting a good number of its engineers and astronauts from the force. With Trump pledging to amp up military spending – a promise consistent with his party’s key ideologies – it is most likely that NASA will either retain its current funding or experience an increase. However, it remains uncertain whether the collaboration between private organisations and NASA, a hallmark of the now outgoing administration, will continue.

**Net Neutrality**

Net neutrality advocates for equal access to internet services without giving preferential treatment to any entity. Essentially, this concept prevents Internet Service Providers (ISP) from manipulating your access to certain internet services in favor of companies that have paid for preferential treatment. Critics argue for a laissez-faire approach, while supporters, like President Obama, believe that it would result in unequal access to high-speed internet. Given Mr. Trump’s public criticism of regulations under the current administration, it is plausible to expect a change in the net neutrality stance. However, contradicting this is his opposition to large telecom and media mergers, such as the $85 billion AT&T and Time Warner merger, arguing that such mergers create disproportionately powerful entities.

**Research**

Research, responsible for approximately 2.7 per cent of the nation’s GDP, has been the secret sauce that has given the United States a competitive edge over its peers. The nation spends over $450 billion annually on research ranging from health to security. The Trump administration may see more funding channeled towards military research, specifically cyber security. Conversely, other research sectors like health could possibly see a reduction in funding.

**Clean Energy**

Mr. Trump’s stance on spending against the effects of climate change has been pretty straightforward; he is not a fan. He has publicly denounced climate change and has rallied behind big oil companies and the coal industry. This is not good news for the clean energy sector which flourished under President Obama’s administration. Under Trump, we expect reductions in collaborations between the private and public sectors in this area and subsequently slower progress in battling climate changes per the terms of the Paris accord.

**Self-driving cars**

Mr. Trump’s sentiments towards self-driving cars are uncertain. The outgoing administration was known for embracing new technology and advancing a regulatory framework for self-driving cars – a significant milestone. How this will evolve under a new administration, particularly one that is at odds with the Silicon Valley, remains to be seen. Regardless, the President-elect has promised to invest more in transportation and critical infrastructure, suggesting potential progress in this area.

**Surveillance**

Under the incoming administration, the likelihood of renewed surveillance is high. President-elect Trump has implied that he won’t hold back on measures to combat terrorism, including mass surveillance and the use of torture. While controversial and invasive, an uptick in mass-surveillance policies, similar to those prior to Snowden’s leaks, may be used as a counter-terrorism strategy.

This comprehensive analysis provides a detailed look at each important tech sub-sector and what trends to expect under a Trump administration. However, as in all things political, changes and shifts in policy are anticipated.