Warren Buffett backed Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, and Hillary Clinton in 2016, but the Oracle of Omaha is playing it safe in 2024, saying he will not “endorse and support political candidates” in the upcoming election.
Buffett isn’t alone in this regard. Another billionaire and long-time Democrat, JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon, recently said his country “is more important to me than my company”, but he’s also keeping schtum.
Dimon has put the boot into Donald Trump in the past, and the New York Times reports that he has in private “made clear” that he supports Kamala Harris and would consider a role in her administration. The Times also reports that Dimon regards Trump’s 2020 election denialism as “close to a disqualifying factor”, but, like Buffett, the ordinarily outspoken JPMorgan man is keeping his cards close to his chest.
Meanwhile, reports indicate Bill Gates has donated $50 million to Kamala Harris’s campaign, but he too has chosen to not publicly endorse her.
It’s fair to assume many in corporate America are fearful that a victorious Trump would seek to punish those who publicly oppose him. Even the most influential figures are wary of drawing Trump’s ire. Silence may be the safest bet for America’s wary corporate elite.
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