Leaked messages from a secret group chat of influential Republicans have revealed a growing disillusionment with former President Donald Trump, even among those who supported him in the 2024 election.
The group chat, known as “Chatham House,” includes some of the most powerful tech leaders and conservative figures who have been pivotal in aligning the tech world with the right-wing movement in the United States, particularly during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ben Smith, the former media columnist for The New York Times and co-founder of Semafor, uncovered the details of these private messages in a recent article for Semafor.
He explained that the group was initially created as part of a network of influential private chats designed to steer political and business conversations in a direction that supported conservative and tech-friendly policies.
These chats, which began during the early days of the pandemic, have been crucial in shaping an alliance between the tech world and the right-wing in the U.S.
However, tensions within the group have been rising, especially following Trump’s controversial push for tariffs that seemed to go against the interests of many in the group.
As a result, some members began to distance themselves from the former president. Notably, David O. Sacks, a prominent tech entrepreneur and former chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, became frustrated with the group’s direction and left it in mid-April.
Sacks criticized the group, saying it had become “worthless” due to members having what he called “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
In a response to Sacks, another member of the group, identified only as Bryan Goldberg, voiced similar concerns but framed them differently.
Goldberg suggested that the real issue wasn’t simply Trump’s critics but the fact that many who had supported him were now recognizing the administration’s failures. “I’m not sure we have TDS,” Goldberg wrote, “I think we – Republicans who supported Trump – are seeing that this is a failed administration.”
Following Sacks’ departure, three other influential members also left the group: Sequoia partner Shaun Maguire, bitcoin billionaire Tyler Winklevoss, and former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson.
The departures highlighted the increasing rift between those who once backed Trump and those who now see his administration as a failure.
Despite the leaks, the group has remained largely secret, with members taking extra precautions to prevent information from getting out.
The group communicated through Signal and WhatsApp, platforms that allow for disappearing messages, which helped ensure the privacy of their conversations.
One member of the group explained that their decision to avoid media attention stemmed from their belief that journalists were “out to get us.”
This development marks a significant shift within Republican circles, particularly among tech leaders who once saw Trump as a powerful ally.
With high-profile figures publicly stepping away from him, it remains to be seen whether Trump can maintain the same level of support in the run-up to the next presidential election.
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