Here Are The Billionaires Who Donated To Donald Trump’s 2020 Presidential Campaign

This is the third installment of a four-part series exploring the money billionaires poured into the 2020 election. Part 1. Part 2.

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^Donald Trump never donated to his own reelection campaign, but he did find plenty of other billionaires willing to write him checks. In total, Forbes identified 133 super-rich donors who pitched in for Trump’s 2020 campaign.

Trump’s tycoons, which collectively make up about 14% of all American billionaires, tend to fall into a few specific categories. Several were longtime Republican megadonors, like gambling mogul Sheldon Adelson, who died in January, and his wife Miriam. Others knew Trump from their days in business, including Texas banker Andy Beal and casino king Phil Ruffin. About one-quarter of them made their money in finance and investments, more than any other industry. About 10% got rich in real estate, while roughly the same number earned a fortune from the energy sector. Most of them came from three states: New York (19%), Texas (19%) and Florida (13%).

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How Donald Trump’s Donors Got Rich

^{Forbes found 133 billionaires or spouses of billionaires who donated to Trump’s campaign ahead of the 2020 election. They built their fortunes in 17 industries.}

^{Source: Federal Election Commission filings; Forbes Real-Time Billionaires list}

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Some clearly benefited from having a friend in the White House. Miriam Adelson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Kelcy Warren, chief executive of Energy Transfer Partners, got clearance for his Dakota Access Pipeline, as well as a seat on board of trustees at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Harold Hamm, the oil baron, became an informal advisor. Linda McMahon, who is married to WWE chief executive Vince McMahon, accepted a role as head of the Small Business Administration, before moving on to chair a pro-Trump super-PAC named America First Action.  

On average, the donors contributed about $285,000 to the Trump campaign and its joint-fundraising committees, which split their hauls with the Republican Party. About 9% of Trump’s billionaire donors, however, gave less than $5,000. At least 19 also donated to pro-Trump super-PACs. Unlike other types of political committees, super-PACs can accept unlimited amounts of money. The Adelsons, for instance, gave $90 million to a pro-Trump super-PAC called Preserve America. Marvel Entertainment billionaire Isaac Perlmutter and his wife, Laura, gave $21 million to America First. Kelcy Warren donated $10 million to the same group.

Here’s the complete list of every billionaire Forbes found who put money into Trump’s reelection campaign, either directly or through their spouse. The donors are grouped by their industries and sorted by the amount of money they donated.

You can explore this in more depth at our interactive donor tool. Find out more about Joe Biden’s billionaire donors here.

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AUTOMOTIVE

Willis & Reba Johnson

• Net worth: $1.8 billion
• Source of wealth: Damaged cars
• Contributions: $700,000

A. Jayson & Tammi Adair 

• Net worth: $1.1 billion
• Source of wealth: Damaged cars
• Contributions: $200,000

Roger Penske

• Net worth: $1.9 billion
• Source of wealth: Cars
• Contributions: $45,000 

E. Joe Shoen

• Net worth: $3.1 billion
• Source of wealth: U-Haul
• Contributions: $35,500

Trevor Milton

• Net worth: $2.1 billion
• Source of wealth: Electric vehicles (Nikola)
• Contributions: $1,000 

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CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING

Diane Hendricks 

• Net worth: $8 billion
• Source of wealth: Roofing
• Contributions: $1.1 million

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DIVERSIFIED

Phil Ruffin & Oleksandra Nikolayenko

• Net worth: $2.3 billion
• Source of wealth: Casinos, real estate
• Contributions: $1.5 million 

Billy Joe “Red” McCombs

• Net worth: $1.5 billion
• Source of wealth: Real Estate, oil, cars, sports
• Contributions: $40,000

Thomas Duff

• Net worth: $1.4 billion
• Source of wealth: Tires, Diversified
• Contributions: $1,800

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ENERGY

Kelcy & Amy Warren 

• Net worth: $2.9 billion
• Source of wealth: Pipelines
• Contributions: $1.8 million 

Jeffrey & Melinda Hildebrand 

• Net worth: $3.7 billion
• Source of wealth: Oil
• Contributions: $1.2 million 

John & Margo Catsimatidis   

• Net worth: $2.8 billion
• Source of wealth: Oil, Real Estate
• Contributions: $515,000

Harold Hamm 

• Net worth: $6.9 billion
• Source of wealth: Oil & gas
• Contributions: $320,000 

Farris & Jo Ann Wilks 

• Net worth: $1.2 billion
• Source of wealth: Natural gas
• Contributions: $250,350

George Bishop

• Net worth: $2 billion
• Source of wealth: Oil & gas
• Contributions: $250,000

Jim Justice

• Net worth: $1.2 billion
• Source of wealth: Coal
• Contributions: $200,000

Dan Wilks

• Net worth: $1.1 billion
• Source of wealth: Natural gas
• Contributions: $50,000 

Bridget Koch, wife of William Koch  

• Net worth: $1.5 billion
• Source of wealth: Oil, investments
• Contributions: $25,000

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FASHION & RETAIL 

Bernard & Billi Marcus

• Net worth: $7.8 billion
• Source of wealth: Home Depot
• Contributions: $731,200

Ronald Lauder 

• Net worth: $5.4 billion
• Source of wealth: Estee Lauder
• Contributions: $200,000 

John Morris

• Net worth: $4.1 billion
• Source of wealth: Sporting goods retail (Bass Pro)
• Contributions: $200,000

Drayton McLane, Jr.   

• Net worth: $2.9 billion
• Source of wealth: Walmart, logistics
• Contributions: $61,200

Richard Schulze  

• Net worth: $5 billion
• Source of wealth: Best Buy
• Contributions to Trump: $2,700

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FINANCE & INVESTMENTS

J. Joe & Marlene Ricketts   

• Net worth: $3.5 billion
• Source of wealth: TD Ameritrade
• Contributions: $2.2 million

Andrew Beal

• Net worth: $7.6 billion
• Source of wealth: Banks, real estate
• Contributions: $1.8 million 

Marc & Carolyn Rowan 

• Net worth: $4 billion
• Source of wealth: Private equity
• Contributions: $1 million 

Ira & Ingeborg Rennert 

• Net worth: $2.8 billion
• Source of wealth: Investments 
• Contributions: $900,000

John & Jenny Paulson

• Net worth: $4.2 billion
• Source of wealth: Hedge funds
• Contributions: $831,370

Stephen & Gisela Feinberg

• Net worth: $1.8 billion
• Source of wealth: Private equity
• Contributions: $715,600 

Charles & Ann Johnson  

• Net worth: $5 billion 
• Source of wealth: Money management
• Contributions: $700,000

Stephen Schwarzman

• Net worth: $22.5 billion
• Source of wealth: Investments
• Contributions: $699,400

Ken & Sherrilyn Fisher 

• Net worth: $4.3 billion
• Source of wealth: Money management
• Contributions: $250,000

Thomas Peterffy

• Net worth: $24.3 billion 
• Source of wealth: Discount brokerage
• Contributions: $250,000

Peter Thiel 

• Net worth: $5.6 billion
• Source of wealth: Facebook, Palantir
• Contributions: $250,000

Ronald Perelman

• Net worth: $6.8 billion
• Source of wealth: Leveraged buyouts
• Contributions: $125,000 

Douglas & Patricia Leone

• Net worth: $6 billion
• Source of wealth: Venture capital
• Contributions: $100,000

Julian Robertson, Jr.  

• Net worth: $4.3 billion
• Source of wealth: Hedge funds
• Contributions to Trump: $100,000

Wilbur “Ed” Bosarge, Jr.

• Net worth: $1 billion
• Source of wealth: High speed trading
• Contributions: $50,000

Nelson Peltz

• Net worth: $1.7 billion
• Source of wealth: Investments
• Contributions: $25,000

Lori Milken, wife of Michael Milken

• Spouse’s net worth: $3.7 billion
• Source of wealth: Investments
• Contributions: $12,500

Gail Golden-Icahn, wife of Carl Icahn

• Spouse’s net worth: $17.1 billion
• Source of wealth: Investments
• Contributions: $5,600

Debbi Bowles, wife of Don Hankey 

• Spouse’s net worth: $3.2 billion
• Source of wealth: Auto loans
• Contributions: $5,000

Elaine Langone, wife of Ken Langone 

• Spouse’s net worth: $5 billion
• Source of wealth: Investments
• Contributions: $5,000 

Stewart Horejsi

• Net worth: $2.2 billion
• Source of wealth: Berkshire Hathaway
• Contributions: $2,800 

Warren Stephens  

• Net worth: $2.7 billion
• Source of wealth: Investment Banking
• Contributions: $2,800

Rodger Riney 

• Net worth: $3.6 billion
• Source of wealth: Discount brokerage
• Contributions: $2,000

T. Denny Sanford

• Net worth: $1.6 billion
• Source of wealth: Banking, credit cards
• Contributions: $1,500

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FOOD & BEVERAGE

Christopher “Kit” Angela Goldsbury 

• Net worth: $1.7 billion
• Source of wealth: Salsa (Pace Foods)
• Contributions: $802,300

Jimmy John & Leslie Liautaud

• Net worth: $1.7 billion
• Source of wealth: Sandwich chain (Jimmy John’s)
• Contributions: $212,000

Tilman & Paige Fertitta 

• Net worth: $4.2 billion
• Source of wealth: Houston Rockets, entertainment
• Contributions: $140,000

Chuck & Diane Bundrant 

• Net worth: $1.3 billion
• Source of wealth: Fishing
• Contributions: $50,000

Jude Reyes   

• Net worth: $5.4 billion
• Source of wealth: Food distribution
• Contributions: $50,000

J. Christopher Reyes  

• Net worth: $5.4 billion
• Source of wealth: Food distribution
• Contributions: $50,000

Clayton & Mary Ann Mathile 

• Net worth: $2.3 billion
• Source of wealth: Pet food (Iams)
• Contributions: $26,600 

Cynthia Cathy, wife of Bubba Cathy

• Spouse’s net worth: $7.1 billion
• Source of wealth: Chick-fil-A
• Contributions: $1,000

Richard Yuengling, Jr.

• Net worth: $1.5 billion
• Source of wealth: Beer 
• Contributions: $500 

 

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GAMBLING & CASINOS 

Steve & Andrea Wynn   

• Net worth: $3 billion
• Source of wealth: Casinos, hotels
• Contributions: $1.5 million 

Sheldon & Miriam Adelson

• Net worth: $29.8 billion (as of the 2020 Forbes 400)
• Source of wealth: Casinos
• Contributions: $1.2 million 

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HEALTHCARE 

Robert Duggan

• Net worth: $2.8 billion
• Source of wealth: Pharmaceuticals
• Contributions: $817,800

Stewart Rahr

• Net worth: $2.3 billion
• Source of wealth: Drug distribution
• Contributions: $250,000

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LOGISTICS 

Dennis & Phyllis Washington

• Net worth: $6.3 billion
• Source of wealth: Construction, mining
• Contributions: $1 million 

Jerry & Vickie Moyes

• Net worth: $1.4 billion
• Source of wealth: Transportation
• Contributions: $101,000

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MANUFACTURING

Bill & Tani Austin 

• Net worth: $2.2 billion
• Source of wealth: Hearing aids
• Contributions: $1 million

Ronald & Joyce Wanek  

• Net worth: $4.6 billion
• Source of wealth: Ashley Furniture 
• Contributions: $839,400 

Archie Aldis Emmerson

• Net worth: $3.2 billion
• Source of wealth: Timberland, lumber mills
• Contributions: $45,000

Donald Friese 

• Net worth: $1.1 billion
• Source of wealth: Manufacturing 
• Contributions: $6,100

Alexander Rovt 

• Net worth: $1.3 billion
• Source of wealth: Fertilizer, real estate
• Contributions: $1,360

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MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT 

Isaac & Laura Perlmutter 

• Net worth: $5.9 billion
• Source of wealth: Marvel comics
• Contributions: $1.9 million 

Charles & Helen Dolan 

• Net worth: $5.5 billion
• Source of wealth: Cable television
• Contributions: $125,000

Stanley & Karen Hubbard

• Net worth: $2 billion
• Source of wealth: DirecTV
• Contributions: $25,000 

John Malone 

• Net worth: $7.5 billion 
• Source of wealth: Cable television
• Contributions: $16,000

Margaretta Taylor 

• Net worth: $5.2 billion
• Source of wealth: Media, automotive 
• Contributions: $5,000

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REAL ESTATE 

Stephen & Melinda Winn  

• Net worth: $1.9 billion
• Source of wealth: Real estate services
• Contributions: $725,000

H. Ross Perot, Jr. 

• Net worth: $2.5 billion
• Source of wealth: Real estate
• Contributions: $660,000

B. Wayne Hughes, Jr. 

• Net worth: $1.6 billion
• Source of wealth: Storage facilities
• Contributions: $500,000

Julia Argyros, wife of George Argyros

• Spouse’s net worth: $2.1 billion
• Source of wealth: Real estate, investments
• Contributions: $100,000

Richard LeFrak 

• Net worth: $3.6 billion
• Source of wealth: Real estate
• Contributions: $100,000

Benjamin Lewis, husband of Jane Goldman

• Net worth: $3 billion
• Source of wealth: Real estate
• Contributions: $100,000

Martin Selig 

• Net worth: $1.4 billion
• Source of wealth: Real estate
• Contributions: $50,000

Igor Olenicoff

• Net worth: $4.3 billion
• Source of wealth: Real estate 
• Contributions to Trump: $24,200

Edward & Cynthia DeBartolo

• Net worth: $2.3 billion
• Source of wealth: Shopping centers
• Contributions: $3,000

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SERVICE 

Darwin Deason

• Net worth: $1.3 billion
• Source of wealth: Xerox
• Contributions: $405,000

David Katzman

• Net worth: $1.2 billion
• Source of wealth: Teeth aligners (SmileDirectClub)
• Contributions: $100,000

Gary Rollins 

• Net worth: $5.5 billion
• Source of wealth: Pest control (Orkin)
• Contributions: $25,000

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SPORTS

Lorenzo & Teresa Fertitta 

• Net worth: $2.1 billion
• Source of wealth: Casinos, mixed martial arts
• Contributions: $721,200

Frank & Jill Fertitta 

• Net worth: $2.1 billion
• Source of wealth: Casinos, mixed martial arts
• Contributions to Trump: $721,200

Linda McMahon, wife of Vincent McMahon

• Spouse’s net worth: $1.8 billion
• Source of wealth: Entertainment (WWE)
• Contributions: $360,600

Dan Snyder

• Net worth: $2.6 billion
• Source of wealth: Washington Football Team
• Contributions: $100,000

Arturo & Carole Moreno 

• Net worth: $3.4 billion
• Source of wealth: Billboards, Anaheim Angels
• Contributions: $10,800

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TECHNOLOGY 

David & Cheryl Duffield

• Net worth: $15.6 billion
• Source of wealth: Business software
• Contributions: $1.2 million 

Safra Catz & Gal Tirosh 

• Net worth: $1.2 billion
• Source of wealth: Software (Oracle)
• Contributions: $250,000

Joseph Liemandt  

• Net worth: $3 billion
• Source of wealth: Software
• Contributions: $250,000

Charles & Lisa Simonyi 

• Net worth: $5.2 billion
• Source of wealth: Microsoft
• Contributions: $200,000

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TELECOM 

Kenny & Lisa Troutt 

• Net worth: $1.5 billion
• Source of wealth: Telecom
• Contributions: $1.7 million

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^{* Forbes Real-Time net worth as of Feb. 17, 2021.}

^{** Contribution totals are made up of itemized donations of at least $100, and include money donated to the Donald J. Trump For President Committee, the Trump Victory and the Trump Make America Great Again Committee between January 2017 and November 3, 2020. Forbes included members of the Real-Time Billionaires list and their known spouses in the group of donors.}

^{Additional research by Sue Radlauer}