Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, has announced he will not endorse any candidate in the 2024 presidential election. This decision comes as a surprise to many, given Buffett’s history of supporting Democratic candidates like Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. In a statement on Berkshire Hathaway’s website, the company clarified that “Mr.
Buffett does not currently and will not prospectively endorse investment products or endorse and support political candidates.” This message was posted in response to fraudulent claims on social media about Buffett’s endorsements. Buffett, often called the “Oracle of Omaha,” explained his decision to stay out of politics during an interview with CNBC. He expressed concern about the spread of misinformation and wanted to make it clear that any claims about him backing a particular candidate are untrue.
Buffett stays out of election politics
“That’s why we put that on the Berkshire website. Nobody should believe anybody saying I’m telling them how to invest or how to vote,” Buffett said.
The 94-year-old investor has been vocal about his political views in the past, even criticizing Donald Trump during the 2016 election for his business practices and lack of transparency. However, Buffett now believes that voicing his opinions on divisive political matters could lead to widespread backlash and harm his companies, employees, and shareholders. “You can make a whole lot more people sustainably mad than you can make temporarily happy by speaking out on any subject,” Buffett said during Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting in 2022.
Despite speculation that Buffett may have privately communicated with Vice President Kamala Harris, he has made it clear that he will not publicly endorse her or any other candidate in the upcoming election. By staying out of the political arena, Buffett aims to protect his company and its stakeholders from potential repercussions.
