(Image source from: Timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
As the 2024 US presidential election approaches, wealthy individuals across the nation are discreetly taking sides, providing substantial financial backing to either Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump. While some, like Elon Musk, openly support their preferred candidate, others, such as Warren Buffett and Mark Zuckerberg, choose to remain neutral, despite rumors and speculation about their political inclinations. According to Forbes, 76 billionaires are supporting Kamala Harris, while 49 billionaires have been identified as backers of Donald Trump. Many more wealthy individuals may still commit to a candidate, but their contributions will only become public after the election, when the final Federal Election Commission reports are released in December. Despite Kamala Harris's criticism of policies favoring the ultra-wealthy, numerous high-net-worth individuals support her due to practical reasons. A letter from more than a dozen billionaires endorsing Harris emphasized that she is expected to maintain "fair and predictable policies" that ensure economic stability, which particularly resonates with Silicon Valley billionaires who have known her since her days as a California prosecutor. A recent survey also revealed that sectors like technology, healthcare, and sustainability would thrive under a Harris presidency.
While some prominent figures like Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett, and Mark Zuckerberg have refrained from publicly endorsing either candidate, others such as Bill Gates and Ray Dalio have commented on the election's significance without explicitly supporting a particular nominee. Similarly, Jamie Dimon and Sergey Brin have not openly endorsed any candidate, despite previous statements or political leanings.
As the election nears, these two wealthy individuals have surprisingly kept quiet in recent months, even though they have financially supported Republican initiatives in the past. As the election date gets closer, more extremely rich people may disclose their political leanings.
Kamala Harris Backers: Out of the 76 billionaires supporting Harris, 28 have donated $1 million or more to groups backing her. Here are some notable names:
Michael Bloomberg (Former New York mayor, Bloomberg)
Arthur Blank (Atlanta Falcons)
Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn)
Vinod Khosla (Khosla Ventures)
Dustin Moskovitz (Facebook)
Steven Spielberg (Hollywood director)
In addition, 36 billionaires contributed between $50,000 and $999,999. Some of these include:
Tory Burch (Fashion designer)
Reed Hastings (Netflix)
Chris Larsen (Ripple)
Laurene Powell Jobs (Apple)
Additionally, Melinda French Gates, Joe Gebbia (of Airbnb), and several other celebrities are supporting Democratic presidential candidates. Celebrities like Mark Cuban and Magic Johnson signed an open letter in their support.
Donald Trump's billionaire supporters: Trump has positioned himself as a champion of the super-rich and the working class, and has received significant support from 49 billionaires. Notable supporters include:
Miriam Adelson (Las Vegas Sands Corp.)
Don Ahern (Las Vegas construction)
Diane Hendricks (ABC Supply)
Linda McMahon (WWE)
Steve Wynn (Wynn Resorts)
Another 16 billionaires have contributed between $50,000 and $999,999, including:
Tilman Fertitta (Houston Rockets)
John Paulson (Paulson & Co.)
Thomas Siebel (Siebel Systems)
Trump's supporters include tech giant Elon Musk, who appeared at rallies and offered incentives through his political action committee to influence voters in the state.
