Billionaires’ Support for Donald Trump Gains Momentum: Nikki Haley Claims
Nikki Haley is gaining significant backing from influential political supporters, both in terms of visibility and financial support. On Tuesday, the political network primarily funded by billionaire Charles Koch officially endorsed the former UN Ambassador and Governor of South Carolina. Furthermore, Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JP Morgan Chase & Co, expressed his belief that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has the potential to serve as a viable alternative to Donald Trump.
“Even if you consider yourself a very liberal Democrat, I encourage you to support Nikki Haley as well,” stated the CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co. during the New York Times DealBook Summit. “Let’s have a Republican candidate option that could potentially be better than Trump.”
Nikki Haley’s campaign gained even more momentum with these announcements. Her campaign has been on the rise due to endorsements, strong polling numbers, and impressive debate performances. According to FiveThirtyEight’s latest polling average, Haley is closing in on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for second place in the GOP primary field. Haley currently has 9.9% support while DeSantis has 13%. However, Trump still maintains a dominant lead in the Republican competition with 58.7% support.
The billionaire Charles Koch, who largely finances the Koch political network, has given his endorsement to Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, for president. This endorsement serves to bolster her primary campaign against the Republican front-runner, former President Donald Trump.
The Haley endorsement by the Koch-backed super PAC Americans for Prosperity Action signifies the conclusion of a yearlong quest to find a viable Republican alternative to challenge Trump.
According to a memo from the group, they believe that Haley possesses the necessary qualities to spearhead a policy agenda aimed at tackling the country’s most pressing issues and driving it towards a brighter future. They state, “With our extensive grassroots support and data-driven capabilities, there is no other organization better positioned to assist her in this endeavor.”
The network possesses substantial resources and has expressed its readiness to utilize them in order to bolster the former South Carolina governor’s campaign. Additionally, they intend to contest Trump’s growing dominance in the race for the party’s presidential nomination.
In an interview with CNBC, Ken Langone, the co-founder of Home Depot and former supporter of Trump, revealed his intention to meet with Haley in the near future. He believes that Haley is the only person capable of challenging Trump’s influence and popularity.
Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan, has an estimated net worth of $1.8 billion, according to Forbes. His wealth primarily comes from his stake in the company. Charles de Ganahl Koch, an American billionaire businessman, is ranked as the 22nd richest person in the world, with a net worth of $60 billion as of November 2023. Kenneth Gerard Langone Sr., known for his role in organizing financing for The Home Depot founders, is a billionaire businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He has been a significant donor to the Republican Party and has a net worth exceeding $7 billion. Republican megadonor Ken Griffin has expressed his potential support for former UN ambassador Nikki Haley in the 2024 presidential election. Kenneth Cordele Griffin, the founder and CEO of Citadel LLC, a multinational hedge fund, is an American hedge fund manager, entrepreneur, and investor. With a net worth of $35.5 billion, he also owns Citadel Securities, one of the largest market makers in the U.S.
Donald Trump’s wealth pales in comparison to the heavy hitters mentioned above. The fact that these influential former Trump backers are now rallying behind Halley and urging others to join their ranks could have a significant impact on the Republican nomination, especially considering that the voting is set to begin in January.
