By Kristine Owram, Bill Allison; Translated by Wuzhu, Golden Finance
As Election Day approaches, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will be judged on their personalities, policies and experience.
It will take money to get that message across to voters. While both campaigns have raised millions of dollars from small donors and billionaires, the latter’s power and influence could have a huge impact on any potential administration.
We compiled a list of the wealthiest Americans who have verbally or physically supported one of the presidential candidates.
Using Federal Election Commission data through August, we looked at members of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index who donated to either the Harris or Trump campaigns (our methodology is explained at the end of this article). We also added well-known members of the index, such as Elon Musk and Bill Ackman, who do not appear in the Federal Election Commission’s data but support one of the candidates.
Among the super-rich, Trump tops the list. The former president received at least $24.4 million from 13 members of the wealth list. Harris' campaign, meanwhile, received at least $12.8 million from 20 people, including people who donated to Biden's campaign before he left office. Those donations were transferred to her when she became a candidate.
Trump's advantage was due to three donors - Miriam Adelson, Diane Hendrix and Kelsey Warren - who each gave the maximum amount to the Trump 47 Committee and $5 million to a joint super PAC. The richest billionaire donor supporting Harris was former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who gave nearly $3 million to Harris' campaign.
Here's who America's richest people support for president, ranked by net worth, and some key names to watch:
Donations: Musk officially endorsed Trump following the failed assassination attempt on the former president in July. While Musk didn't donate directly to Trump's campaign, he helped form America PAC, a pro-Trump super PAC. The committee has spent $45 million to date, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
Donations: Donated $419,600 to the Trump 47 Committee.
Donations: $5 million to Protect America PAC, which supports Trump's reelection, and $844,600 to Trump 47.
Donations: $1.6 million to Future Forward PAC, a Democratic super PAC, and $1.16 million to the Biden Victory Fund.
Donations: donated $929,600 to the Biden Victory Fund.
Donations: donated $3,300 to the Donald J. Trump 2024 Presidential Foundation through the Trump 47 Committee.
Donations: While Walton has not donated directly, she will co-host a fundraiser for Harris on Sept. 15 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Donations: $200,000 to Make America Great Again, $614,000 to the Trump 47 Committee, and $3,300 to Donald J. Trump 2024 Presidential Campaign.
Donations: French Gates gave $3,300 to Harris as a presidential donation through the Harris Victory Fund.
Donations: $407,300 to the Trump 47 Committee and $3,300 to the Donald J. Trump 2024 Presidential Election, Inc.
Donations: Bill donated $200,000 to Make America Great Again and $838,000 to the Trump 47 Committee.
Donations: Donated $5 million to Make America Great Again and $844,600 to the Trump 47 Committee.
Donations: Johnson donated $50,000 to the Biden Action Fund, $6,600 to Biden for President, and $100,000 to the Biden Victory Fund.
Donations: Powell Jobs donated $929,000 to the Biden Victory Fund.
Donations: Shaw donated $295,700 to the Biden Action Fund.
Donations: Spielberg donated $929,600 to the Biden Victory Fund.
Donations: Johnson donated $1 million to Make America Great Again and $806,300 to the Trump 47 Committee.
Donations: Gray donated $50,000 to the Biden Action Fund. When Harris emerged as the Democratic front-runner, he also donated $413,000 to the Harris Action Fund, according to people familiar with the matter.
What other billionaires are saying about the candidates
“My goal is to be neutral and not play any role in any way or even appear to play any role,” Zuckerberg said in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee.
“I think it’s great to have someone younger as CEO who can think about problems like artificial intelligence and know how to shape it in the right way,” Gates said of Harris in an interview with France 24.
Buffett is a longtime Democratic supporter who appeared on stage with Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election. But he has since avoided donating to federal political candidates because he wants to shield his company and employees from any potential backlash.
Koch of Koch Co. is a longtime Republican supporter who has poured millions of dollars into supporting Nikki Haley through his super PAC, Americans for Prosperity Action. However, the committee stopped funding Haley in February when it became clear that she was an unlikely Republican nominee.
Jeff Yass, co-founder of Susquehanna International Group, wrote a pro-Trump op-ed in the Wall Street Journal in April. He said he prefers Trump's stance on school choice, one of the issues close to Yass' heart — but he doesn't plan to donate directly to Trump's campaign. Still, Yass remains one of the biggest donors in the 2024 election cycle, primarily to conservative groups such as the anti-tax Club for Growth Action.
Citadel CEO Ken Griffin has spent tens of millions of dollars supporting Republican congressional candidates across the country. He endorsed Nikki Haley in the Republican presidential primary. So far, he has not donated to Trump's campaign.
Fidelity Investments CEO Abigail Johnson attended a fundraiser for President Joe Biden in May before dropping out of the race.
Founders Fund founding partner Peter Thiel noted: “If you put a gun to my head, I’m going to vote for Trump,” Thiel said in an interview at the Aspen Ideas Festival in June. “I’m not going to give money to his super PAC.”
Former News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch has a strained relationship with Trump and supported Ron DeSantis in the Republican primaries and attended the Republican National Convention in July.
Stan Druckenmiller, chairman and chief investment officer of Durkan Family Office, is financing Haley’s primary campaign against Trump.
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