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After America elected Donald Trump as its next president this week, many tech leaders weren’t shy about sharing their concerns. 500 Startups founder Dave McClure said he was sad, ashamed, and angry. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said he was “stunned.” RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser called it the “most disastrous night in American Political History in my adult lifetime.” HyperloopOne co-founder Shervin Pishevar even said he wanted to support a campaign for the state of California to split from the nation.

Microsoft and its CEO Satya Nadella, meanwhile, remained fairly diplomatic.

In a short LinkedIn post, Nadella wrote that on Tuesday “we witnessed the democratic process in action here in the U.S.”

“The results are of importance around the world, and I know that interest is shared among Microsoft employees,” he continued. “We congratulate the president-elect, and look forward to working with all those elected yesterday. Our commitment to our mission and values are steadfast, and in particular fostering a diverse and inclusive culture.”

Nadella then linked to a longer post penned by Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith.

“Today is a day that finds some Americans celebrating and others commiserating about the electoral result,” Smith wrote. “But it’s also a day that reminds us of what makes the country special. It’s a day that provides an opportunity to look beyond disagreements and divides, identify bold solutions to common problems, and find new ways to work together. It’s a good time for all of us to listen and to learn from each other.”

Like Nadella, Smith kept a diplomatic tone throughout his piece. He congratulated Trump and his running-mate Mike Pence for winning the nomination and then laid out four issues that “rise near the top as we think about the country and information technology”: Job creation, infrastructure, diversity, and cybersecurity.

Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith (GeekWire File Photo)
Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith (GeekWire File Photo)

Microsoft wants to help more people — particularly those with a high school degree or less — find jobs, and thinks that technology can play a role. Smith pointed to the company’s pending acquisition of LinkedIn, noting how “new technology services and tools help individuals develop new skills and connect with new jobs.”

He also said that data analytics and cloud technologies can help fuel new investments in infrastructure, whether it be related to transportation or broadband internet.

Smith also touched on diversity, noting that more than a third of Microsoft’s engineers come from other countries.

“We have employees from every race, ethnic background and religion,” he wrote. “If there’s a language spoken on the planet, there’s a good chance that it’s spoken by an employee at Microsoft.  And we’re committed to promoting not just diversity among all the men and women who work here, but the type of inclusive culture that will enable people to do their best work and pursue rewarding careers.

We know that this is the only way we’ll fully succeed as a company.  And we believe it’s the only way we’ll fully succeed as a country.”

Finally, as questions swirl about how Trump will handle issues around cybersecurity and encryption, Smith said Microsoft is committed to developing “technology that is secure and trusted, both for Americans and for people around the world.” He said that everyone will benefit from “stronger government policies.”

Other tech giants like Apple and Facebook also played it fairly safe with their responses to Trump’s victory. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who was berated by Trump over his ownership of the Washington Post and Amazon’s tax practices, tweeted this on Thursday:

You can read Microsoft’s full post here.

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