Project Include drops Y Combinator as Peter Thiel pledges $1.25m to Trump

But, he added: YC is not going to fire someone for supporting a major party nominee.

Pao who made headlines last year for her sexual discrimination lawsuit against venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers wrote that it could not continue to partner with Y Combinator at this time.

While all of us believe in the ideas of free speech and open platforms, we draw a line here, she said. We agree that people shouldnt be fired for their political views, but this isnt a disagreement on tax policy, this is advocating hatred and violence.

Pao told the Guardian that it was unclear whether other tech leaders would follow suit and end partnerships with Thiel.

I think its starting a conversation, but I havent seen it really fracture Silicon Valley in any significant way.

She added: The power in Silicon Valley is concentrated in the hands of very few people, and it is hard to try to go up against that.

Some have noted that Thiels support of Trump is not all that surprising considering the tech billionaires openly sexist views.

In 2009, he argued that capitalist politics have struggled because women can vote.

The 1920s were the last decade in American history during which one could be genuinely optimistic about politics, Thiel wrote. Since 1920, the vast increase in welfare beneficiaries and the extension of the franchise to women two constituencies that are notoriously tough for libertarians have rendered the notion of capitalist democracy into an oxymoron.

Altman did not answer questions about Project Includes announcement, but sent the Guardian a statement, saying, We shouldnt start purging people for supporting the wrong political candidate.

Continuing to partner with Thiel is a way to support diversity, he wrote, even if it is painful and unpopular.But, he added, If Peter said some of the things Trump says himself, he would no longer be part of Y Combinator.