Trump previously called for boycotts of Macy's, the NFL, and Megyn Kelly, among other businesses and ... [+]
Topline: President Trump came to Bernie Marcus’ defense last night following a social media uproar boycotting Home Depot, which Marcus co-founded (but has not worked at for over 15 years), after Marcus said he would donate part of his $5.9 billion fortune to Trump’s re-election campaign.
- Trump tweeted last night, calling the boycotters “Radical Left Democrats” as well as “vicious and totally crazed,” ending his thread with “Fight for Bernie Marcus and Home Depot!”
- Trump is no stranger to calling for boycotts of both people and businesses he believed personally slighted him: the NFL, Macy’s, Megyn Kelly, Harley-Davidson, Apple, and AT&T received his ire in the past four years, according to the Washington Post.
- Marcus (#337 on Forbes’ billionaires list with a reported $5.9 billion net worth) told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution last month he planned to give away most of that fortune to charitable causes, but also to help re-elect Trump. By donating $7 million in 2016, Marcus became one of the Trump campaign’s biggest donors.
- In response to the boycott furor, a Home Depot representative said, “[Bernie Marcus] isn’t speaking on behalf of the company. In fact, as a standard practice, the company does not endorse presidential candidates.”
Key background: For the 2018 midterms, Marcus donated $7.9 million to outside money groups, mostly political action committees like the Senate Leadership Fund and the John Bolton Super PAC, and entirely to Republicans. In terms of his charitable giving, Marcus donated $250 million to build the Georgia Aquarium, the nation’s largest such facility. He’s also given $25 million to Autism Speaks, an autism advocacy and research operation, as well as founded and funded the Marcus Institute for children and teenagers with developmental disabilities. In addition, he chairs the Marcus Foundation, which has funded military veteran, free enterprise, and Jewish causes, like his $25 million donation in 2016 to a blood donation center in Israel.
