Ken Griffin and Paul Singer, two influential Republican billionaires known for their past criticism of Donald Trump, have been in talks with the former president about potentially supporting his bid to return to the White House, according to Bloomberg News.
Elon Musk has reportedly donated a significant amount of money to a Trump-centric super political action committee (SPAC).
After Stephen King recently called for Biden not to run for re-election, Musk responded to X: “[e]Stephen King is voting for Trump!”
On the other hand, Griffin, the founder of Citadel, met with Trump two weeks ago at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, according to Bloomberg News.
Singer, who founded Elliott Investment Management, also had a separate meeting with Trump recently.
The rallies come as Trump’s campaign is gaining momentum following a recent influx of contributions following his felony conviction and President Joe Biden’s alleged missteps.
Neither Griffin nor Singer have previously donated to Trump’s presidential campaigns, despite being among the Republican Party’s most substantial donors. Their potential support would mark a notable change, as both have been openly critical of Trump in the past.
Singer had raised concerns in 2016 that Trump’s trade policies could lead to a “global depression,” and Griffin called Trump a “triple loser” in 2022 after Republicans’ disappointing performance in the midterm elections.
The financial support from Griffin and Singer could give Trump’s campaign a major boost. Griffin has donated $233 million to federal elections since 2015, while Singer has contributed $89 million, Bloomberg News wrote, citing OpenSecrets data.
Both have supported various super political action committees and candidates, including donating $5 million each to a super PAC tied to former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
These hedge fund managers’ decision to back Trump’s 2024 campaign is still pending, with Griffin indicating his decision would be influenced by Trump’s choice of running mate.
