AT&T CEO on President Trump: 'I was impressed'
Randall Stephenson says he's optimistic that Donald Trump's vow to lower the corporate tax rate will fuel economic growth.
- SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson is optimistic about America under President Donald Trump.
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson is in a good mood thanks to President Donald Trump.
Speaking on a conference call with analysts, Stephenson shared his impressions of the new president after meeting with him earlier this month.
"I was impressed," he said. "I was meeting with a CEO."
He went on to say that Trump was focused on reforming corporate taxes and regulations, two issues near and dear to Stephenson's heart.
While Trump remains a divisive figure among the US populace, corporate America has struck a more optimistic tone. The telecom executives, in particular, have lined up to praise the president in hopes of lower taxes and less regulation.
Under Trump, the Federal Communications Commission could dismantle the net neutrality law as it stands today. Telecom companies like AT&T and Verizon believe the current rules are too onerous.
The prospect of lower taxes could have a significant impact in how AT&T invests in new services.
"I'm optimistic as I go forward," he said. "If we get line of sight to real tax reform, we'll think differently about how we invest in things."
He added that he doesn't believe he's alone in this thinking, and that the added investment could fuel faster economic growth and add more jobs.