Reid Hoffman Wants Silicon Valley to ‘Stand Up’ Against the Trump Administration
Reid Hoffman didn't do much in half measures. He co-founded LinkedInof course, and helped bankroll companies including Meta and Airbnb in its startup days. He has also fashioned himself, through books, podcasts and other public appearances, as something of a public intellectual — a pro-capitalist philosopher who still insists that tech can be a force for good.
Most recently, Hoffman has emerged as one of Silicon Valley's most prominent defenders of artificial intelligence. His newest book, 2025's Superagencymakes the case that AI will not diminish human capacity, but will instead amplify it. In our conversation for this week's episode of The Great InterviewHoffman easily riffed on AI's usefulness for just about everything, whether you're looking for a research assistant or a second opinion on your blood work. Hoffman even relied on AI to make one of the most unconventional—and perhaps uncomfortable, depending on your view of AI-generated creativity—Christmas gifts I've heard of lately. (And no, he didn't get me one.)
Whatever you think of Hoffman's utopian views on AI, give credit where it's due: He's also been an outspoken critic of President Trump — a rare trait in a tech world that has grown increasingly quiet or cozy when it comes to the brutality of the US administration. Hoffman's outspoken political views have not been without consequence: Trump has twice threatened to launch investigations into him, often calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi to dig into Hoffman's ties to Jeffrey Epstein. (In 2019, Hoffman apologize for his mid-2010s relationship with Epstein, which he says only related to fundraising for MIT. He then called on the government to Epstein files completely.)
Despite those threats, Hoffman pulls no punches: When we sat down in mid-December to record this episode, he readily called out the administration for destroying the U.S. government, criticized his peers for keeping their heads down, and urged Silicon Valley to stop pretending that neutrality is a virtue. If only more billionaires said it.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
KATIE DRUMMOND: Reid Hoffman, welcome to The Big Interview. So glad you're here.
REID HOFFMAN: I am happy to be here.
We want to start these conversations with some very quick questions. Small warm-up. Are you ready?
Great!
Voice memo or text message?
Text message.
Cooperative games or competitive games?
Cooperative games.
The biggest difference between you and Elon Musk?
Sanity.
What is the hardest lesson you have ever learned?
Oh god, there's a lot. Probably when you should give up.
Who do you want to run for president in 2028?
Sanity.
Sanity for president.
Yes, exactly. You know, it's funny, I probably can't give a good answer to that question. I mean, the people I want to run for president probably won't.
Oh, that's too bad.
Yes.
You can't say their names?
Since I tried to convince them to do that, I think it's probably rude.
I am fascinated. The next time we talk, I will force you to tell me. What is your one, personal, killer use case for AI?
Well, I just made a Christmas album as my Christmas present for all my friends.
I assume they all know it's AI generated music?
Yes. And it's on records. We put it on plates.
So it's from your heart in the AI…
Yes.
… to their Christmas tree.
I have always had the desire to have Christmas music that has irony as well as love for the holiday. So, there's a song about ugly sweaters and, you know, all this kind of stuff. As opposed to the “holly, jolly Christmas,” you know, something that actually has some humor. Almost like what “Weird Al” Yankovic would do if he did a Christmas album.
