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BITING THEIR TONGUES

Trump’s Tech Bros Busted Trying Not to Laugh at Crazy Oval Office Rant

The men awkwardly looked around the room as the president went on a rant that was bizarre even by his lofty standards.

Wealthy executives standing behind Donald Trump in the Oval Office struggled to contain their laughter as the president delivered a self-aggrandizing rant from the Resolute Desk.

Billionaire tech CEO Michael Dell and venture capitalist Brad Gerstner looked uncomfortable as the 80-year-old president delivered a tirade about tariffs and boasted he was creating “the greatest economy” in a press briefing for his “Trump Accounts” on Wednesday.

As Trump rambled about how factories were being built “all over the country” and that “there’s never been a time like this” in America, both Dell, 61, and Gerstner, 55, seemed embarrassed by the president’s speech.

Their mannerisms included looking away from the president as he spoke—staring up at the ceiling, down at their shoes, or darting their eyes around the room full of reporters.

michael dell donald trump brad gerstner

The billionaires appeared unnerved by Trump's remarks several times throughout the briefing.

Screenshot/MS NOW

Gerstner’s body language, with his hands clasped tightly in front of him, seemed to suggest he was uneasy about the president’s claims, as did Dell’s strained mouth and eyebrow movements.

“There’s never been a time like this, ever, where $21 trillion—that’s even a lot of money for Brad and Michael and Susan,” Trump said, looking back toward the billionaires. Dell, who Forbes says is worth $282 billion, and Gerstner, a multi-millionaire, returned scrunched smiles and nodded at the president before turning their gaze elsewhere in the room.

michael dell brad gerstner donald trump

The two men frequently looked down at their feet or around the room while Trump ranted about how great he thinks he is.

ALEX WROBLEWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

The Dell Technologies founder and Altimeter Capital CEO stood idly by as Trump claimed, “I can do whatever I want, if I want.” Trump even said that he could use the office of the presidency to target his political foes such as Hillary Clinton or “Barack Hussein Obama.”

Later, as the president sounded off about how his administration has cultivated “the greatest growth of any country, maybe ever in history,” Dell and Gerstner once again seemed put off by Trump’s braggadocio.

donald trump

Trump said on Wednesday that he could do "whatever I want" as President of the United States.

Jonathan Ernst/REUTERS

As Trump described how the U.S. was creating the “biggest” factories for semiconductor production and turning away from trade with countries like Taiwan, the duo kept looking down and around the room.

The Daily Beast has reached out to Altimeter Capital and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation for comment.

Dell said Tuesday that he and his wife, Susan, would make good on their promise to donate $6.25 billion of their wealth to fund 25 million Trump accounts with $250 by the end of the week.

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Earlier in the press briefing, Trump had difficulty finding Dell, despite him standing right behind the Resolute Desk.

“Thank you, Brad, Susan, thank you. Michael, wherever you may be,” Trump said, as Susan, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz all pointed at Dell right behind the president’s chair.

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