A prominent Democratic megadonor has made an announcement that he will cease donating funds to President Joe Biden. Instead, Jacob Helberg, a tech mogul, has chosen to contribute $1 million to President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. Helberg is aware that his decision may not be well-received in the liberal Silicon Valley. However, he emphasizes that Trump’s stance on various crucial matters has resonated with him. By donating $1 million to Trump’s re-election efforts, Helberg becomes one of the major financial supporters of the 45th president’s endeavor to regain the White House in November.
The Washington Post reports that Helberg had previously utilized his wealth and influence to back Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s unsuccessful presidential campaign in the 2020 election. Helberg is part of a group of influential Silicon Valley businessmen who have recently shown support for Trump.
“The social cost of supporting Trump isn’t as great as it was,” Helberg said of Silicon Valley society.
He went on to say that much of big tech now think “Trump was right on a lot of make-or-break issues for America.”
Helberg has contributed a total of $844,600 to the Trump 47 joint fundraising committee, placing him among a select group of donors who have reached the maximum limit for their contributions to the Trump group. According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings examined by the Post, at least 20 other individuals had also reached this limit by March. Helberg and Trump share a common ground on various issues, with a particular focus on China.
Recently, the tech adviser and the 45th president developed a bond during their time together at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Both individuals agree on the necessity of adopting an adversarial approach towards China in matters concerning trade, TikTok, and other related topics. Helberg’s shift towards supporting Trump reflects a larger trend among Democratic supporters who have grown disillusioned with Biden’s presidency. These individuals have reevaluated their stance and are now finding appeal in Trump’s policies given the current circumstances.
David Friedman, Trump’s former ambassador to Israel, acknowledged that he has engaged in conversations with numerous Jewish donors who initially held reservations about supporting Trump. However, due to Biden’s perceived shift away from Israel, Jewish donors have begun to reconsider their support and are giving the Republican candidate a second look.
“There is clearly a change going on, people who are active in politics with big money, people who were never Trumpers or reluctant ‘hold your nose Trumpers’ are telling me that Trump has to win,” Friedman told The Free Press.
The recent development occurred following an email sent by prominent Democratic donor Haim Saban to two of Biden’s aides. Saban expressed concerns about Biden’s growing hostility towards Israel during its conflict with Hamas. He condemned the President for delaying the delivery of weapons to Israel.
“Even beyond Israel, this sends a terrible message to our allies in the region, and beyond, that, we can flip from doing the right [thing]to bending to political pressure,” Saban wrote.
“Let’s not forget that there are more Jewish voters, who care about Israel, than [Muslim] voters who care about Hamas.”
