Kamala Harris (Shutterstock)
Billionaire venture capitalist Ben Horowitz and his wife Felicia have pulled their support for Donald Trump and announced a “significant donation” to Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign. Their decision, revealed on Friday, marks a striking shift in allegiance, just months after they had backed Trump alongside Horowitz’s business partner Marc Andreessen.
The change in support comes in the wake of President Joe Biden stepping aside, with Harris now leading the Democratic ticket alongside Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Horowitz, a co-founder of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, explained that the couple’s close personal connection with Harris was a driving force behind their decision. told by Raw Story.
“As a result of our friendship, Felicia and I will be making a significant donation to entities who support the Harris Walz campaign,” Horowitz wrote in an email to his employees. He noted that while Harris has yet to outline her tech policy, he is “encouraged by my belief in her.” The report in Axios emphasized that the donation would come from the couple’s personal wealth, not from their firm.
This announcement comes three months after Horowitz and Andreessen received significant criticism for throwing their financial support behind Trump. At the time, they faced backlash from various quarters in the tech world, as many saw their backing of the former president as contrary to Silicon Valley’s generally progressive stance.
Now, the couple’s decision to shift their support to Harris has reignited the debate, drawing mixed reactions across social media.
“He’s just playing both sides and may have donated to Kamala in order to keep peace with his wife,” Paul Sas, a behavioral economist, speculated on X (formerly Twitter). Sas’s comment implies skepticism regarding the true motivations behind the donation.
On the other hand, journalist Yashar Ali commented on the significance of the Horowitzes’ switch. “Wow,” he posted to his followers, “Venture capitalist Ben Horowitz and his wife Felicia were backing Trump when Biden was in. Their decision led to a lot of criticism, but they remained firm.” Ali also noted that Horowitz’s “significant personal contribution” would now support Harris’s campaign, an outcome few had anticipated earlier in the election cycle.
However, the backlash continues. Gil Duran, a reporter, criticized the Horowitzes’ motivations, accusing them of political opportunism. “Completely soulless,” Duran wrote. “They just want to be on the side that’s winning so they can further their greedy and power-hungry agenda. The good news: They clearly think Kamala will win.”
Biz Carson, who reports on wealth and Silicon Valley for Bloomberg, highlighted the blow this news might deliver to Trump’s campaign, which currently has less cash on hand than Harris. Carson suggested that the loss of financial support from figures like Horowitz could further strain Trump’s resources as the race heats up. Report from Meaww.
Horowitz’s decision underscores how the dynamic 2024 presidential race is impacting political alliances, especially among influential business leaders. Whether other Silicon Valley figures will follow his lead remains to be seen.
