Roger Fingas
U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly signed a new executive order, creating a council meant to "transform and modernize" government IT systems. Simultaneously, the White House revealed a series of meetings in June, during which some 20 high-tech CEOs — likely including Apple's Tim Cook — will be brought in to discuss the topic.
"Americans deserve better digital services from their Government. To effectuate this policy, the federal government must transform and modernize its information technology and how it uses and delivers digital services," the order reads. Reuters noted that the order is dated April 28, but was only announced on Monday.
Cook's participation in the June meetings is unconfirmed, but the CEO has previously met with Trump and his senior advisor, son-in-law Jared Kushner.
In March Kushner was appointed to head a White House group called the Office of American Innovation. Cook is allegedly one of the corporate advisors to the group, some others being former Microsoft chief Bill Gates, and Tesla/SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. The Office's mission is to overhaul federal bureaucracy, possibly even handing some services over to the private sector.
Cook has been a vocal critic of Trump, singling out his policies on women, immigration, transgender rights and more. At the same time he has defended his involvement with the Trump administration, saying he can wield more influence that way than by "being on the sideline." Apple could potentially reap a windfall if the government decides to adopt its products or at least better support them.
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60 Comments
Like putting Trump, Cook, Gates and Musk around a table to discuss IT makes any sense. None of those people know anything about IT. But that is apparently how government works. Let's put a bunch of people with zero knowledge about a given project in charge of it.
More of the obligatory negative references to our President. Nothing but surmise, and totally uncalled for. And nothing like continually dredging up old news to try to prop up the propaganda mill. Good job, AI.
This is a new initiative, and obviously NOTHING has been determined yet as to what will be implemented or what any company's specific involvement will be.
But cheap politics certainly don't have to be a factor in any contracts written.
I'd say both Trump and Cook are pragmatists, so this is Cook's chance to sell his products/services/computing philosophies, etc. to the federal government, whose money is just as good as anyone's. And what about IBM's likely involvement as an important Apple enterprise partner. This could be a choice opportunity for Apple.
Major contracts would also mean jobs creation—right here in River City (USA)!
You liberals need to get off the pity pot and get with the program, if not fully on the Trump Train, because America WILL be great again with our without your help.
If I were president, I think I would be doing the same thing. Asking these leaders of these companies that have created amazing digital links to the population about ways to better connect the government to the people in the modern world.