Former President Donald Trump may owe his sustained political viability to support from America’s billionaire class, argues Steven Greenhouse in Slate. With over $6 trillion in collective wealth—more than the bottom half of U.S. households—these billionaires are investing heavily to shape the political landscape.
Greenhouse points to Elon Musk as a leading example, citing Musk’s $75 million contribution to a pro-Trump super PAC that manages Trump’s voter outreach and Musk’s influence over the platform X (formerly Twitter) to favor pro-Trump content. Billionaire heir Timothy Mellon has reportedly gone even further, contributing $125 million to Trump-aligned efforts—more than the combined donations of millions of average Americans.
Other prominent figures include Miriam Adelson, who has funded GOP ad campaigns in swing states, and Rupert Murdoch, whose media empire, despite tensions with Trump, largely aligns with GOP interests. Meanwhile, billionaires like Dick Uihlein, Jeff Yass, and former Marvel chair Ike Perlmutter have funneled millions into the same cause.
Not all billionaires, however, are backing Trump; Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has pledged $50 million to a pro-Kamala Harris initiative. Nevertheless, Greenhouse underscores the outsized influence of the ultra-wealthy, suggesting that if Trump wins, he will once again prioritize policies that favor their interests over those aimed at benefiting the wider American public.
