President-elect Trump has appointed investment banker Warren Stephens as the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. Stephens, a successful businessman and longtime Republican donor, has previously supported conservative groups and Trump's presidential campaigns. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his eagerness to work with Trump, emphasizing the strong alliance between the U.S. and the UK. Trump has also announced other ambassadorial appointments, including Charles Kushner to France and Mike Huckabee to Israel.
Linda McMahon, former WWE CEO and Trump administration official, is expected to be named as the Secretary of the Department of Education, according to sources. Previously, McMahon served as the head of the Small Business Administration and is a major Republican donor. She co-founded the America First Policy Institute and has been involved in pro-Trump initiatives. McMahon was initially considered for the Commerce Secretary position but was passed over in favor of Howard Lutnick.
Bernie Marcus, co-founder of Home Depot, has died at 95. After being fired from Handy Dan, Marcus and Arthur Blank founded Home Depot in 1979, revolutionizing the home improvement industry. Marcus, who grew up in poverty, became a billionaire and a major philanthropist, pledging to give away 90% of his wealth. He funded projects like the Georgia Aquarium and supported Republican causes, including Donald Trump. Marcus was a staunch advocate for capitalism, attributing his success to the American free enterprise system.
Former President Trump mourned the death of Bernie Marcus, the Home Depot founder and significant Republican donor, who passed away at 95. Marcus was a staunch supporter of Trump, contributing significantly to his campaigns and urging GOP unity behind him. Trump praised Marcus as an extraordinary man and a political genius. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell also expressed his condolences, highlighting Marcus' philanthropic impact.
Bernard "Bernie" Marcus, cofounder of The Home Depot and a prominent Republican donor, has died at 95. Marcus, who amassed a fortune of $7.4 billion, co-founded the retail giant in 1978 with Arthur Blank. He was known for his philanthropy, including founding the Marcus Autism Center and contributing to the Georgia Aquarium. An outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, Marcus frequently appeared on right-wing media and expressed concerns about capitalism and "woke" culture in America.
Facing over $500 million in court fines, Donald Trump sold one of his private jets to a major Republican donor, Mehrdad Moayedi, to help cover his legal expenses. The sale of the 1997 Cessna Citation X, estimated to be worth $8.5m to $10m, comes as Trump deals with multiple legal battles and mounting legal fees, which have already exceeded $100 million.
Donald Trump sold a $10 million Cessna jet to Republican megadonor Mehrdad Moayedi amid mounting legal fees and judgements exceeding half a billion dollars. The sale comes as Trump faces significant financial strain from various civil and criminal cases, including a $83.3 million defamation judgement and a $350 million financial fraud penalty. Despite Forbes estimating Trump's net worth at $2.6 billion, his liquid assets are limited, posing a substantial risk to his financial stability.
Billionaire Wall Street financier and Republican megadonor Jeff Yass, a major investor in the parent company of TikTok, was also the biggest institutional shareholder of Digital World Acquisition Corp., which recently merged with former President Donald J. Trump’s social media company. Yass's trading firm, Susquehanna International Group, owned about 2 percent of Digital World, worth about $22 million, and it's unclear if they still hold those shares. Susquehanna stated that it has zero economic interest in Trump Media, and regulatory filings show the firm used offsetting securities to minimize its gains or losses in the stock.
Billionaire and Citadel CEO Ken Griffin, a major Republican donor, has stated that he is currently sitting on the sidelines of the GOP presidential primary and not supporting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, whom he backed in 2022. Griffin expressed dissatisfaction with the alternatives to front-runner Donald Trump and has yet to decide who he will support. He believes that a younger, fresher candidate with a different tone is needed for both the Republican and Democratic parties. Griffin's decision not to contribute to the GOP primary means that one of the party's biggest contributors will not be financially supporting a candidate challenging Trump.
A Republican donor, John Rumpel, lost his adopted daughter, Adina Azarian, and her two-year-old daughter in a private jet crash in Virginia. Rumpel had previously lost his biological daughter, Victoria, in a scuba diving accident in 1994. Azarian was adopted by the family at the age of 40 because she reminded them of Victoria. After Victoria's death, Rumpel and his wife bought an assisted-living facility in Melbourne, Florida, and named it Victoria Landing in her memory. The Cessna Citation crashed after flying through restricted Washington DC airspace and became unresponsive when intercepted by military fighter jets.
Harvard University will rename its graduate school of arts and sciences after billionaire hedge fund executive and Republican megadonor Kenneth Griffin, following his $300m contribution, bringing his total support of his alma mater to more than half a billion dollars. Griffin's investments in firearm and ammunition manufacturers, as well as his association with right-wing politicians, have caused controversy. Griffin is also a major political donor and one of the most prominent backers of Florida governor Ron DeSantis. The gift to Harvard was unrestricted and will go to the faculty of arts and sciences.
US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has defended luxury trips taken with a billionaire Republican donor, saying he believed they followed guidelines. A ProPublica report earlier this week said Mr Thomas had accepted vacations from real estate mogul Harlan Crow nearly every year for two decades. Following the report, several Democratic lawmakers called for an investigation into Mr Thomas and for a stricter code of conduct for Supreme Court Justices.
Anton "Tony" Lazzaro, a former Republican donor, has been convicted of enticing teenage girls with gifts, cash, and money in exchange for sex. He was found guilty of seven counts involving "commercial sex acts" with five girls aged 15 and 16 in 2020. Lazzaro, who claims the charges were politically motivated, plans to appeal. The charges carry mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years with a maximum of life in prison. His co-defendant, Gisela Castro Medina, pleaded guilty to two counts last year and testified against Lazzaro.
