Stephen A. Schwarzman, the CEO of Blackstone, the private equity and real estate giant — tells Axios he will support Donald Trump as a “vote for change.”
Schwarzman has made significant contributions to business and economic thought. He is also known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly in education, where he has donated substantial funds to support academic institutions and research.
The endorsement is a big win for Donald Trump’s campaign. It gives the former president access to a vast and powerful network of Republican donors. The CEO’s clout could also lead other Republican donors who had either already spurned Trump or who were still undecided, to reconsider.
Schwarzman, a billionaire and lifelong moderate Republican, was a staunch Trump business supporter when he was in the White House. He has stated that the deciding factor in his endorsement is the rise of antisemitism, along with concerns about President Biden’s policies.
“The dramatic rise of antisemitism has led me to focus on the consequences of upcoming elections with greater urgency,” he says in a statement to Axios.
“I share the concern of most Americans that our economic, immigration and foreign policies are taking the country in the wrong direction. For these reasons, I am planning to vote for change and support Donald Trump for President. In addition, I will be supporting Republican Senate candidates and other Republicans up and down the ticket.”
At the time of the primary, Schwarzman did not endorse a candidate, calling instead for “a new generation of leaders.”
He stated at the time, “America does better when its leaders are rooted in today and tomorrow, not today and yesterday,” Schwarzman said in November 2022. “It is time for the Republican Party to turn to a new generation of leaders and I intend to support one of them in the presidential primaries.”
While Schwarzman opted to declare his support for Trump primarily out of concern about antisemitism and Biden’s policies, it is worth noting that Trump has entertained prominent white supremacists like Nick Fuentes at Mar-a-Lago or welcomed the support of notorious antisemites like Ye.
