On October 8, 2026, at the United States Institute of Peace, Donald Trump awarded the National Medal of Science to Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Jensen Huang, and Lisa Su, as well as medals in technology to Satya Nadella and Michael Dell. The ceremony took place as part of the "Science: A New Golden Age" summit, where the president announced the beginning of a new era of American achievement.
This is not merely a ritual of recognizing merit. Trump, having returned to the White House, is using the country's highest scientific honors to emphasize his role as a patron of innovation. In the past he often criticized the "Silicon Valley elites," but now he publicly calls Musk "a modern-day Thomas Edison" and thanks immigrants for their contribution to American leadership.
Behind this lies a clear calculation. The Trump administration needs the support of tech giants to implement its plans for AI, quantum computing, and nuclear energy in space. The companies have promised 2,4 billion dollars in computing power for federal agencies. At the same time, there are calls to simplify immigration for talent, although hours before the ceremony Vice President Vance announced the suspension of a program for Microsoft and other firms.
Trump's pattern of behavior is confirmed here: he has always known how to turn symbolic gestures into a tool for consolidating allies. He previously clashed with Musk over DOGE, but now, when results in "superintelligence" are needed, awards become a way to secure loyalty. The public image of a "defender of American workers" diverges from reality — five of the six honorees were born abroad.
The forces acting on the president are obvious. The short term — to show quick victories in science and technology. The medium term — to leave a legacy of a "golden age." The hidden one — to retain the support of influential donors and companies whose technologies define the economy. If no one were watching, Trump would probably have preferred direct deals without public medals.
Imagine a chess game where the pieces are set up not for a match, but to remind the partners: "You are playing on my board." That is exactly what this summit looks like — not about science itself, but about the redistribution of influence between power and capital.
Ultimately, Trump's awards show how the second administration balances between the rhetoric of nationalism and the pragmatic need for global talent and technology. This is not a break with the past, but its logical continuation under new pressure.
