Reid Hoffman Urges Silicon Valley To Speak Out Against Trump’s Policies: ‘We Can’t Bend The Knee’

Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, has called on Silicon Valley leaders to take a stand against the Trump administration’s policies.

In a recent opinion piece published in The San Francisco Standard, Hoffman criticized the tech industry for its silence on the administration’s actions, highlighting recent events in Minneapolis where federal immigration agents killed two U.S. citizens and terrorized thousands more.

‘At Least Six Deaths’ in ICE Custody This Year Alone

The Silicon Valley investor and entrepreneur stressed that these events are not isolated, noting that at least six people have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in 2026, following at least 30 deaths in 2025.

According to Hoffman, these are the results of Trump’s second term, and the American public does not support this performative brutality.

He also urged Silicon Valley leaders to speak out against these actions and the policies behind them, saying that the America they cherish will only withstand the current authoritarian push if enough people, particularly those in positions of leadership and influence, choose to oppose it.

Hoffman Says ‘Can’t Bend The Knee To Trump’

Sharing the article in an X post, he wrote that “We in Silicon Valley can’t bend the knee to Trump. We can’t shrink away and hope the crisis fades.”

We in Silicon Valley can’t bend the knee to Trump. We can’t shrink away and hope the crisis fades.

Hope without action is not a strategy ––  it’s an invitation for Trump to trample whatever he can see.

More: https://t.co/0xB0huM0Yk

— Reid Hoffman (@reidhoffman) January 29, 2026

Tech Leaders Break Their Silence with Fierce Condemnations

Some tech leaders have already begun speaking out.

Former Meta (NASDAQ:META) chief AI scientist Yann LeCun wrote “M U R D E R E R S” on X, re-sharing a graphic video of the shooting by agents.

Google’s longtime artificial intelligence leader, Jeff Dean, reposted a video on X of the shooting, calling it “absolutely shameful.”

This is absolutely shameful. Agents of a federal agency unnecessarily escalating, and then executing a defenseless citizen whose offense appears to be using his cell phone camera. Every person regardless of political affiliation should be denouncing this. https://t.co/ZKEq483CqY

— Jeff Dean (@JeffDean) January 24, 2026

The outrage has extended beyond Silicon Valley, with NBA stars including Victor Wembanyama, Larry Nance Jr., and Steve Kerr also raising their concerns and condemning the killings.

Hoffman, who is on Microsoft‘s (NASDAQ:MSFT) board of directors, concluded by calling on everyone to take action, saying that hope without action is not a strategy and that it’s time for all of us to do and say more.

Hoffman’s call to action comes at a time of political uncertainty, with a brief government shutdown looming despite a Senate deal.

Photo: Shutterstock

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.