T-Mobile is not alone in the donor list. | Image by PhoneArena
Politicians, yes – even presidents, come and go, but telcos are here to stay. That's why you'll rarely see a carrier take a hardcore partisan stance. Yes, big companies do as they're told more often than not – for example, first they introduced DEI policies, then recently promised to roll them back.
But what about donating to political figures and their projects? That's not uncommon. But when Trump's involved, chances are that emotions would rise.
At a recent Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile's parent company) earnings press meeting, the company's CEO was under a bit of pressure about T-Mobile's donations to the White House remodeling project, a new report reads.
Talking about values
Timotheus Höttges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG. | Image by Deutsche Telekom AG
As you've probably heard by now – if you're in the US, I mean, or if you keep a close eye on American news – President Trump is adding a ballroom to the White House. Previous reports have indicated that companies like Comcast, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta (and others) are in the donors list for that project, too.
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So, when asked if T-Mobile's donation is "in line with the German group's values", CEO Tim Höttges said that we're looking at a "good corporate citizenship" case.
He noted that Americans would soon be marking the 250th anniversary of their Constitution, describing it as a major national celebration. Speaking through an interpreter, he added that if a comparable milestone were observed in Germany, Deutsche Telekom would consider sponsoring it, provided the event aligned with the company's brand and products.
As he puts it, T-Mobile is not merely supporting a ballroom being built, but it's "supporting the inauguration ceremony, and that's part of good citizenship in the US. We will continue doing things like that in the future ... and that's nothing that would call our values into question at all".
Are you willing to leave your telco if it gets too partisan?
Different policies
Deutsche Telekom has faced some criticism over T-Mobile's scaled-back DEI policies in exchange for regulatory approval for merger deals. AT&T and Verizon took similar steps as I mentioned above.
Höttges talked about that, too. He explained that every country operates under its own legal and political framework and the company complies with applicable laws in each market. He added that, at present, none of the countries where Deutsche Telekom operates impose restrictions that conflict with its stated values on diversity, performance, orientation and broader corporate culture and he said the company does not see any limitations in that regard.
Personally, I don't find the whole ballroom donations situation perfectly normal. Big companies regularly donate and it's only natural for some users or subscribers to feel irritated, depending on who's in office. At least, in this particular case, we're talking about actually building something, not donating to some morally questionable social-engineering project or organization.
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Sebastian, a veteran of a tech writer with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, blends his lifelong fascination with writing and technology to provide valuable insights into the realm of mobile devices. Embracing the evolution from PCs to smartphones, he harbors a special appreciation for the Google Pixel line due to their superior camera capabilities. Known for his engaging storytelling style, sprinkled with rich literary and film references, Sebastian critically explores the impact of technology on society, while also perpetually seeking out the next great tech deal, making him a distinct and relatable voice in the tech world.
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