JPMorgan Chairman Jamie Dimon, Rumored to Support Trump, Privately Backs Vice President Harris
Bill Gates Also Makes Private Donation to Harris Support Group
With less than two weeks remaining until the U.S. presidential election, reports have emerged that "the Emperor of Wall Street," Jamie Dimon, chairman of JP Morgan, and Bill Gates, former CEO of Microsoft (MS), are quietly supporting Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 22nd (local time), Dimon has privately expressed clear support for Vice President Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate in this election. Regarding the Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump, he reportedly told colleagues that Trump's denial of the 2020 election results remains a disqualifying factor. NYT explained that “if the Democrats win the presidential election, Dimon is considering taking on roles such as Secretary of the Treasury.”
Dimon is known to have long supported the Democratic side. However, earlier this year, there was speculation that he might have effectively shifted his support to former President Trump by praising Trump's policies. In January, at the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Switzerland, he said, “Taking a step back, Trump was right on issues like NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), immigration policies, and economic growth.” He also praised Trump’s China policy, saying it was “correct.”
In response, former President Trump attracted attention in June by stating in an interview with Bloomberg News that “he is considering Dimon for the position of Secretary of the Treasury.” Additionally, earlier this month, Trump posted on his official social media account that Dimon supports him, stirring up Wall Street.
However, Dimon has publicly stated that he does not support anyone. NYT added that Dimon’s decision not to publicly disclose his political stance in this election is due to concerns that former President Trump might retaliate if the Republicans win the election.
Bill Gates, the former CEO, is reported to have secretly donated about $50 million to a nonprofit organization supporting Vice President Harris. Given that Gates has emphasized his stance of not publicly exercising political influence, this kind of political funding is considered unusual.
Regarding this, Gates told the NYT, “This election is different,” explaining the change in his political attitude compared to the past. He supports individuals who are more proactive in improving healthcare, reducing poverty, and addressing climate change, and Vice President Harris is qualified to tackle these issues. Gates’ ex-wife, Melinda, also declared her support for Vice President Harris and donated more than $13 million.
NYT reported that “Gates’ children, Rory and Phoebe Gates, are also participating as Democratic donors, and they have played an important role in encouraging their parents to take political donations more seriously.”
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