Silicon Valley Billionaire Thiel Named To Trump Transition Team
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) – Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel has been named to the transition team of President-elect Donald Trump.
According to an official statement on Friday, Thiel is among 14 people who have been named to the Executive Committee of the Transition Team.
Other members of the executive committee include Rep. Devin Nunes of Tulare County, along with Trump's three adult children Donald Jr., Eric and Ivanka. Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus and Trump campaign manager Stephen Bannon are also part of the executive committee.
Thiel spoke at the Republican National Convention, the first openly gay speaker at the event in 16 years.
Earlier this year, Thiel was revealed as the primary funder of Hulk Hogan's successful lawsuit against Gawker for publishing a sex tape that had been secretly recorded.
In October, the PayPal co-founder donated more than $1.25 million to Trump's campaign, sparking backlash among many of his Silicon Valley peers, who overwhelmingly backed Hillary Clinton. Startup accelerator Y Combinator was asked to cut ties with Thiel, who is a part-time partner.
Thiel defended his decision to endorse Trump, saying he was "the only outsider left in the race."
"It's certainly been hard to accept for Silicon Valley, where most people have learned to keep quiet if they dissent from the coastal bubble," Thiel told the National Press Club in late October.
Trump named Vice President-Elect Mike Pence as the chair of the Transition Team. Vice chairs of the team include Dr. Ben Carson, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama.
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