This week, Lisbon will host Web Summit, Europe’s largest tech gathering, where industry influencers and decision-makers will assess the potential impacts of Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency.
Senior leaders from top firms, such as Apple, Microsoft, and Meta, along with high-ranking European officials, will examine issues including the future of artificial intelligence, regulations on social platforms, and how a Trump presidency might affect Europe.
Trump has previously asserted he could end the Ukraine-Russia war within a day of taking office. Ukrainian officials Alex Bornyakov and Mykhailo Fedorov are set to appear shortly after the U.S. election to discuss Ukraine’s resilience and technological adaptation amid the conflict.
John Adam, chief revenue officer at Aimsoftpro, is one of the attendees. Roughly 70% of the company’s employees remain in Ukraine, with others now scattered across Europe since the conflict began in 2022. “There’s a blend of reactions, as Trump’s stance seems geared toward an immediate conflict resolution, which may not fully align with Ukraine’s interests, though we also yearn for a final resolution,” Adam remarked.
The Musk Element
While Elon Musk will not attend, he is expected to be a key topic of conversation—from his role in Ukraine with Starlink to his accomplishments at SpaceX and his controversial management of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
One session will explore Europe’s chances of developing its own SpaceX equivalent, while another will consider if Musk has “ruined Twitter.” Joe Benarroch, former business executive and spokesperson for X, will join a panel titled “How to handle social media.”
Mark Weinstein, founder of the privacy-focused social network MeWe, will also join Benarroch on stage on Wednesday. He anticipates that a Trump administration could push social platforms to reduce moderation. “Historically, Trump has opposed content moderation,” Weinstein noted. “In response, mainstream networks may choose to allow a broader spectrum of content to avoid political backlash.”
