No one expected it. Not here. Not in the polished hills of Pacific Heights—where Teslas line the streets and liberal ideals echo through historic Victorian homes. But last week, against all odds, Donald Trump—yes, that Donald Trump—strode into the heart of one of America’s most progressive enclaves and walked out $12 million richer.
It wasn’t just a visit. It was a statement.
The former president arrived in San Francisco for a private fundraiser hosted in the home of two unexpected allies: David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya. Titans of venture capital and voices behind the influential “All-In” podcast, the duo threw their considerable weight—and wealth—behind a man who has long been considered an outsider in Silicon Valley.
Their home transformed into a gilded gathering ground for some of the tech world’s biggest names. Cryptocurrency moguls, elite investors, and power players mingled over wine and whispered strategy. Entry wasn’t cheap—seats at the table ranged from $50,000 to a jaw-dropping half a million, with VIP perks and personal access sweetening the pot.
Among the attendees was Harmeet Dhillon, a Republican National Committee member, who described Trump as “easygoing, in high spirits, and tossing out AI jokes like a seasoned stand-up.” The mood, by all accounts, was unexpectedly warm. Laughter filled the air as Trump charmed a crowd many assumed would never applaud him.
It wasn’t just a fundraiser. It was a crack in the cultural firewall.
For years, Silicon Valley has kept Trump at arm’s length. But something is shifting. As political landscapes evolve and new alliances form, the former president is beginning to tap into a powerful, data-driven world that once dismissed him outright.
This wasn’t just a night of big checks and bold statements—it was a sign that Trump, ever the dealmaker, may be negotiating his way into circles once considered unreachable.
And the Bay Area? It just blinked.
