This year’s U.S. presidential election is not only intense but is also anticipated to be the most expensive in history, with over $3.8 billion raised as of October. According to the Financial Times, billionaires have contributed at least $695 million, or 18% of the total funds raised. Yet, many of these billionaires are choosing to remain silent or neutral, though some have openly shown support for a particular candidate. Here’s a look at where America’s top billionaires stand in this election.
Elon Musk, with a net worth of $263.3 billion, has publicly endorsed Donald Trump. Musk has contributed at least $75 million to America PAC, a political action committee supporting Trump. Experts speculate that if Trump is re-elected, Musk could leverage this relationship to expand his influence on government contracts, benefiting his companies like SpaceX and Tesla.
Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon with a net worth of $215 billion, has not officially endorsed any candidate. However, he has expressed admiration for Kamala Harris, with Amazon contributing $1.5 million to her campaign. Similarly, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta is keeping quiet about his election stance, despite past clashes with Trump.
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison is a longtime donor to the Republican Party. Although he has a close relationship with Trump, he has yet to officially support the former president in this election. Warren Buffett, the renowned investor worth $142.2 billion, has announced that he will not endorse any candidate, remaining focused on his business interests.
Other tech billionaires like Google’s Larry Page and Sergey Brin are also taking a neutral stance. Brin, however, has previously donated to Democratic campaigns. Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has also kept his views private, instead focusing on public data initiatives through USAFacts, providing the public with accessible government information.
In general, opinions among the ultra-wealthy differ in this election. While some billionaires are openly backing the candidates they believe in, many are choosing to remain silent or neutral, focusing on preserving and growing their business empires.
