Elon Musk kinda shared ‘proof’ that LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, who is also the tech industry’s biggest Democratic donor said at a public forum that he wished Trump got killed in the assassination attempt. “Just a reminder that Reid Hoffman really did say in a public forum that he wished President Trump had been killed in the assassination attempt,” the Tesla CEO wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) quoting a post by Katie Miller – former advisor to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In her post, Miller attached a screenshot from a July 2024 Sun Valley conference exchange, where Peter Thiel sarcastically thanked Reid Hoffman for funding anti-Trump lawsuits that “made him a martyr” and aided re-election. Hoffman then retorted saying, “Yeah, I wish I had made him an actual martyr,” a remark clarified as sarcasm but criticized after a Trump assassination attempt days later.

When Reid Hoffman said he wished he made Trump a ‘martyr’

“Then, in what one source described as “the dagger” and another as a “twist of the knife,” Thiel sarcastically thanked Hoffman for funding lawsuits against Trump because they had turned him into “a martyr,” thereby increasing his chances of re-election. “I am so grateful to you,” Thiel said. From the stage, Hoffman shot back with his own sarcastic quip: “Yeah, I wish I had made him an actual martyr.” And, on that very uncomfortable note, the exchange ended.(Both Hoffman and Thiel did not respond to emails requesting comment.),” the July 2024 article read. The remark, intended as dark humor critiquing Thiel’s support for Trump, sparked a backlash then, accusing Hoffman of wishing violence on the president. Hoffman later clarified it was not a literal endorsement of harm.

Reid Hoffman’s warning to Google, Microsoft and others

Reid Hoffman has voiced his concerns against the neutrality of tech leaders, arguing that remaining silent about the Trump administration is a risky approach, arguing that the belief that political turbulence will simply pass is “dangerous.” During a podcast appearance, Hoffman said the idea that companies can avoid trouble by not speaking up is flawed. “The theory that if you just keep your mouth shut, the storm will blow over and it won’t be a problem — you should be disabused of that theory now,” he said.In a recent op-ed in The San Francisco Standard, Hoffman wrote: “Silicon Valley can’t bend the knee to Trump. We can’t shrink away and just hope the crisis will fade. We know now that hope without action is not a strategy — it’s an invitation for Trump to trample whatever he can see, including our own business and security interests.”