Trump Honors Tech Executives With Top US Science and Technology Medals

US President Donald Trump on Thursday, October 8, presented the country's highest science and technology awards to several leading tech industry figures at the Golden Age of American Innovation Summit. The National Medal of Science, the top US science prize, went to Elon Musk, Nvidia chief Jensen Huang, Sergey Brin of Alphabet and Lisa Su, head of chipmaker AMD.

The National Medal of Technology and Innovation was awarded to Michael Dell of Dell Technologies and Satya Nadella of Microsoft.

Donations to Trump-linked efforts

The New Republic reports that the honorees have together given nearly $6 billion to efforts connected to Trump and his administration. Alphabet and Microsoft donated to the president's inauguration fund and to the White House ballroom. AMD gave to a pro-Trump Super PAC, a political committee that raises funds for a candidate or cause. Michael and Susan Dell pledged $6.25 billion to help fund the Trump Accounts, the administration's savings program for children.

Trump's remarks

Trump said the honorees had helped "pioneer an incredible future for America," and that because of them, "we will always be on top. No one else can compete with us."

H-1B suspension

Nadella received his medal right after the administration indefinitely suspended Microsoft from the H-1B program, which lets US companies hire skilled foreign workers.