The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Here
and
Now
opinions
Trump fills his government with billionaires after running on a working-class message
By BILL BARROW ATLANTA©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.
54 Comments
Login to comment
TaiwanIsNotChina
Tax cuts and cronyism was never going to bring aid for working people. I guess the latter needed a lesson in this.
TaiwanIsNotChina
*were never
blackpassenger
You forgot the closed quotation mark, sensei.
lincolnman
Just the latest MAGA-hustle....
Trump knows his gullible supporters will buy anything he says - even when he states he's "looking out for them" while at the same time throwing them under the bus for his uber-rich buds - giving them huge tax breaks and allowing them to hire lower-paid immigrants stealing US jobs...
Besides throwing them out of work, Trump's tariffs are going to spark inflation, he's going to cut their unemployment and social security, and when they get sick they'll find out he's also gutted their Obamacare...
Under Trump, the rich get the goldmine, the little guy gets the shaft...
Just what they voted for, right?
I'veSeenFootage
"But billionaires are better-suited to run the country because they're super rich!", will claim completely ignorant and willfully uninformed MAGA fans, while they poorer by the day.
"Cutting taxes for the ultra-rich will trickle down to everyone else and we will all be rich in a few years!", will they repeat like a demented mantra, even though the vast majority of economists and actual historical experience shows trickle down economics never worked. And when the time comes they can't pay for groceries and amenities anymore... they will still find someone else to blame, because Trump can do no wrong in their eyes.
I am actually looking forward to seeing them suffer. Not even joking. That's the only thing that might make some of them realize they've been brainwashed.
Bob Fosse
These are the only people who can reduce the price of eggs. Nobody knows suffering like a billionaire.
Peter Neil
as warren buffet has said, if american companies paid their fair share in taxes, like his company, there would be no income tax.
elections and democracy are not the same. the difference between fascism and “democracy” is only having one more choice? instead of choosing a, you choose a or b.
either way, you lose.
americans think elections are like a football game. hoot and holler, buy the merchandise, put on a bumper sticker and cheer for a team that doesn’t give a poop about you.
younger nothing if they win. suckers.
Peter Neil
you get…
wallace
Trump nominates 13 billionaires for his cabinet.
Yrral
They will quit or be indicted later on
Jimizo
Trump sure likes those elites.
iknowall
Trump is being true to his word by appointing based on the merits of the individual, a concept the Democrats have a hard time understanding, and which is part of the reason they lost in the recent elections, and lost miserably.
TaiwanIsNotChina
The purpose of government agencies is not to deliver a profit. This will come as a surprise to the MAGA.
R B Quinn
The convicted felon and former Insurrectionist-in-Chief surrounds himself with “yes” men and women who are mainly loyal to him, and follow the moniker of MAGA (More Anarchy Guaranteed Ahead).
With very few exceptions, they are no qualified for the posts they have been nominated for.
The approach to governing is slash and burn and damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead.
We the People of the United States of America deserve better.
Cephus
"Trump fills his government with billionaires after running on a working-class message."
What a pathetic headline, at least the billionaires knows how to make money while cutting unnecessary cost and that's why they are billionaires in the first place. Like or not, believe it or not, time for filling the entire government with DEI candidates who does what masa says without questions are long gone.
Jimizo
Fair point.
There is an argument that the elites are elites because they are capable ( we can obviously exclude rich kids inheriting money and not doing particularly well with it here ).
One counter to that would be the elites are out of touch with the needs of struggling people.
You seem perfectly comfortable with the elites running the show. That is often unlike many pro-Trump people who very often rail against elites.
I'veSeenFootage
That would be a very interesting debate. I believe a lot of the actual "elites" we have today are mostly where they are because of staggering amounts of luck, vast amounts of tax fraud and various amounts of worker exploitation.
itsonlyrocknroll
I have rarely experienced such sneering contempt, such resentment envy for the wealth innovators, IT entrepreneurs.
The job creators
US democrat opposition, the so called liberal centre left were once humble generous defeat.
Today what is left is a miserable bunch of losers. Scowling crowing spiteful horde of the "bitter and twisted".
Deceitful, disingenuous harping antagonistic extremist fascists disguised pretending to be socialists.
itsonlyrocknroll
Some got lucky, many have allot to learn about humility, most build there billions on risk and hard work created billions more for the US people.
Jimizo
Good point. You can also look at the failures of political parties on both sides in some countries who essentially threw workers under the bus while overseeing the elites getting richer.
The elites certainly got a leg-up there.
I find the rage towards the elites from the pro-Trump supporters quite interesting given the influx we see here.
I think we can only assume there are good and bad elites depending on their political persuasion. I just wish these elite-haters would be a bit more specific about who they actually hate so they could clear up this confusion. They aren’t making a lot of sense.
wallace
Billionaires don't seek to increase the wealth of the poor and working class. Many billionaires have not created jobs.
Many accumulate wealth through investments, asset ownership, or inheritance rather than actively creating new employment opportunities; the key distinction often lies between "entrepreneurs" who build businesses and create jobs, and "billionaires" who may simply own large stakes in existing companies.
Not all billionaires are entrepreneurs
itsonlyrocknroll
Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, IBM, Oracle, Packetlabs, Adobe, Alphabet, NVIDIA, Tesla, Intel Corporation, Cisco, Uber, X Corp,
All have one undisputed unifying, born and bred, with the exception of Packetlabs (part Canadian), all American, yes, combined employment estimated 9.5 million people.
I have my huff puffs about the banking and financial industry, their greed came close to bankrupting the global economy,
Having said that, most IT companies have served a positive role in creating wealth for all employees.
I'veSeenFootage
I think you need to do a little bit of research about the working conditions at Amazon or Uber, for example, before you claim they have served any form of "positive role".
A lot of our IT billionaires are actually nothing but basic conmen, running glorified ponzi schemes after ponzi schemes, doing whatever they can not to get caught by any of them. In the long run, it's completely untenable. At least Microsoft or NVIDIA sell actual products to make a profit. Facebook, for example, sells absolutely nothing.
Zaphod
Another day, another Trump bashing article. To put things in perspective, Trump chose to foregoe a comfortable life on his villas and golf courses with plenty of admiring Hollywood characters around in favour of doing an unpaid job, being demonized by the media, persecuted by a weaponized justice system, and austracized by the elites, end even subjected to several assassination attempts. Give me that kind of character any time, compared to a hungry "professional" politician who sees the White House powers as a possible pot of gold for personal enrichment.
As for the supposed billionaires surrounding him, you might note they all come from the tech sector and have actually done something productive to achieve wealth. Old crony capital like Soros and the bankers are still on the opposing side.
Once again, this Bill Barrow piece is opinion, not journalism.
Sven Asai
And this is different in which other country? Lol Ok, we could discuss the word billionairess, but the rest is the same everywhere, the rich in government and the rest of people gets working-class messages, from US to North Korea.
Zaphod
Sven Asai
Trump is actually the rare character who comes true on campaign promises. Unlike the typical pofessional politician everywhere.
Many other places, especially Europe, definitely need a Trump style revolution.
itsonlyrocknroll
In ubers case I agree, also the gig economy is in many repects is an unregulated wild west.
Amazon UK is under investigation for some serious infringement to basic health and safety laws, work break malpractice, labour rights legislation
i'veseenfootage, however both never seem to have a shortage of applicants do they?
May I suggest that could be due to unrestricted net immigration, where dependents are treated as cannon fodder.
starpunk
Melanoma trump wears a trenchcoat stating 'I don't really care. Do you?'.
Quisling Don by his actions says, 'I don't really care. Do you?'.
He sold his soul and the USA for a trump tower in Moscow that he did not get.
Now he wants absolute power, claims to be the Messiah.
But he's also a slave to the money-grubbing zillionaire Muskrat too.
And you didn't really believe his lies, DID YOU?
I'veSeenFootage
Exactly. "Disruptors" praised for revolutionizing industries, who actually do nothing but make the average workers poorer while they line their pockets. Proud leaders in the crapification of society.
The fact that we live in societies where people are desperate for jobs (even terrible ones) is not really an argument for these companies.
It's the coporations run by the "elites" that employ, and make money of the backs of, these very immigrants. So again, they are part of the problem and not the solution.
Jimizo
Ww might be getting somewhere here. I’m sure you’ve been free-thinking the living daylights out of this ‘elite’ thing.
So, the good elites are those who have done something productive while the bad elites are the investor types?
Is that close?
Is tech more likely to produce good elites?
It goes without saying that good and bad elites shouldn’t be defined by political persuasion. That would be partisanship. You aren’t factoring that in, are you?
Obviously the bad elites. Are they more the investor types?
nishikat
Will Tesla be OK? Musk made a Nazi salute. Tesla is looking to be the Theranos of car companies
No, he's doing well with Trump and Melinia Coin. Trump followers are transferring their money to Trump more and the Trump Coin holders in the end will be the losers as Trump cleans up. He will be fine as president.
Jimizo
Last time he promised to build a wall, provide great healthcare at a fraction of the cost, throw all illegals out and get rid of the debt.
These were key issues.
We’ll have to wait and see what he delivers in practice this time. So far, it’s mostly peripheral stuff and the success or failure of it is yet to be seen.
On what grounds is the free-thinker who told you this basing the claim that he comes through?
I'veSeenFootage
This is all patently false.
Donald Trump was an often ridiculed failed businessman turned reality tv star who chose to run for office to advertise himself. He never intended to win, only to sell merchanside and maybe create his own news network, and his face (ans especially Melania's) on the night of the final results of the 2016 election says everything you need to know about that.
Once in office, he realized being president was actually great way of making a lof of money (through corruption). And then he did crimes. And was prosecuted for those crimes. And the only way for him to stay out of prison was to run for office again, this time desperatly praying to win. Which he did. And now he's free to make a lot of money (through corruption) again and do even more crimes than before, since the Supreme Court decided he was above the law.
Jimizo
Bill Gates - Tech billionaire, job creator, productive.
Good or bad elite? I think I can predict the free-thinkers response to this one.
I think we need a list of the good and bad elites.
Would be instructive.
wallace
Who are the billionaires?
1. Elon Musk, Department of Government Efficiency co-head: $439 billion
2. Leandro Rizzuto Jr., Ambassador to the Organization of American States: $3.5 billion
Rizzuto's family made billions growing the hair product company Conair from a small family business run out of a Queens, New York, garage into one of the largest private companies in the United States.
3. Warren Stephens, Ambassador to the United Kingdom: $3.4 billion
Stephens has spent his entire career with his family's Little Rock-based investment bank, becoming the firm's CEO and president in 1986.
4. Linda McMahon, Education Secretary: Up to $3 billion
McMahon, with her husband Vince McMahon, founded the company that later became World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.
5. Howard Lutnick, Commerce Secretary: $2.2 billion
CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, a financial services firm he joined in 1983.
6. Charles Kushner, Ambassador to France: $1.8 billion
Kushner is a real estate developer who made his fortune building thousands of residential units across New Jersey.
7. Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator: $1.8 billion
Isaacman is a pioneer in private space exploration who made his fortune by founding the payment processing company Shift4 Payments.
8. Thomas Barrack Jr., Ambassador to Turkey: $1 billion
In 1991, Barrack founded the private equity real estate firm Colony Capital, which now manages more than $80 billion as DigitalBridge Group.
9. Steven Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East: $1 billion
After first meeting Donald Trump in a New York deli in the 1980s, Witkoff climbed New York's real estate ladder alongside Trump.
10. Frank Bisiganano, Social Security Administration Commissioner: $1 billion
Bisiganano was one of JPMorgan Chase's most influential executives during the 2008 recession, before taking over the financial services company First Data Corporation.
11. Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary: Reported billionaire
A protege of Democratic megadonor George Soros, Bessent worked as the chief investment officer of Soros Fund Management before founding his own firm.
12. Vivek Ramaswamy, Department of Government Efficiency co-head: $1 billion
Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and 2024 presidential candidate, made his fortune through his 10% stake in Roivant Sciences, a biotech company he founded in 2014.
There are also millionaires.
KnightsOfCydonia
Just like any politician: say one thing, do another.
same trough, different snouts.
Geeter Mckluskie
Hard working billionaires are good role models for the working class.
1glenn
How is it that a convicted felon who got less than 50% of the popular vote is sitting in the White House?
browny1
Drain that Swamp Donny Boy.
Fill it up with Plutocrats.
Then watch all that moolah trickle down to the Plebian class.
Funnier day by day.
Barnum and Bailey had nothing on these guys.
Nifty
The problem is that these aren't nice, helpful billionnaires, working for the good of the nation. They are billionnaires busily hunting for any programs that serve humanity that can be converted to cash.
Bret T
@Zaphod Today 01:48 pm JST
"Another day, another Trump bashing article"
Good point. They've selected the CNN business model.
Yes, there are billionaires in Trumps pics. But hey, can we start with a simple, non-conspiracy theory premise that doesn't assume they're 'part of Trump's Fascism Regime': could be he happens to believe that since they've been able to accomplish so much in their personal lives maybe they can also be high performers in a governmental capacity. Could be that simple.
So much stereotyping going on that because they are wealthy, they are intrinsically bad people. In the US, people from all walks of life and educational and motivational levels end up rich. Once rich it becomes clear that some are altruistic and philanthropic, while others are greedy.
My point is this article is inviting us to say they are bad picks just because they are wealthy. I'm not buying it. (see what I did there?) (8-)
Ah_so
"Get businessmen instead of bureaucrats..." is a go-to fall-back of the right, common in tabloid newspapers and radio phone-in shows. Along with promises to cut red tape and improve efficiency, they have lived up to expectations. Businessmen make poor politicians. Statecraft is very different to commerce. But sadly, it is all about providing overly simplistic answers to complex problems - that is the Trump and MAGA level.
Whenever you read "DEI" in a MAGA comment, just replace it with the word "black" or to understand what the commentator actually means. While this would normally be denied, the use of "masa" in the above makes it clear exactly what is meant.
Ah_so
@Zaphod - he did not last time - he failed completely, but you could put that down to the surprise of being elected, and the fact that he didn't know what he was doing. But this time he does seem to be taking steps to achieve what he set out to do.
So yes, he is arresting illegal immigrants, as well as legal immigrants and some US citizens if they are a bit brown looking. Obviously this will end up driving up inflation, but that's another issue.
He has been good to his word on tariffs, even if it will punish working class americans the most. It will also drive up inflation, but that's another issue.
On inflation, that's going up. And the stock market is expected to plunge. Not what he promised.
bass4funk
Your point?
No, he didn't get real for once. Lol
He has absolute power by being the POTUS
Musk is not a slave, but given his Billionaire success and ability to eliminate financial waste, why not employ him?
He never lied, wrong man, wrong party, or wrong timeframe.
bass4funk
He got 52%
You are joking right? LOL
bass4funk
He didn't though
What crimes???
No, the reason for running again was that he was sick and tired of what this great nation has been turned into and wants to fix it which is what he is doing.
No praying, just basic common sense governing, the guy is not even taking a paycheck and doesn't need to, he has more than enough money, the President's salary, and he gives up for a donation, as for the Supreme Court, they told the liberals they can't stop him from running, nor jail him. Losing track if dem fail this week alone.
1glenn
A simple google search will show that he got less than 50% of the popular vote. For those not in the know, that includes candidates other than the top two.
He is a convicted felon.
More than two dozen women have accused him of sexual assault.
A court fined him almost $100 million USD for defaming a woman who said he raped her.
Most of the businesses he has ever started have gone bankrupt, except for those in partnership with Russian or Saudi oligarchs.
So, someone who can't vote in many US states, because of his felony conviction, and who can't own a firearm, and who arguably should be in prison, and who can't travel on a US passport, is allowed to sit in the White House and intentionally carry out policies designed to ruin the world economy. Anyone else worried about this scenario?
nishikat
It's a disaster now. Major plane crash and President Elon saluted Hitler (and Tesla is down today)
WRONG
He's getting richer off of Trump Coin (and the Trump suckers are transferring money to Trump)
Tesla is down and continues to go down. It was a bad idea to salute Hitler while he was in Germany.
iknowall
The American voters were more worried about Biden and Harris, and so they chose Trump, again.
So, we have the best scenario for the American people.
nishikat
Because Trump is not in charge. It's President Elon. Also, Trump is Putin's little puppy dog.
And lots of Trump people are giving up their life savings to fund Trump and Melinia coin.
bass4funk
He will get that expunged give it time and let’s not forget, he has secret service, and in addition to that his own private security who are packing, basically, he has what he needs at all times whether it’s at his homes or personal
Again, as president he can, once he leaves office that will be expunged
You seem to forget, half the country voted for him, gave him a mandate, can’t get much more clearer than that. The people have spoken in November.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Just like how the Supreme Court will never rule against Trump like they did in dozens of other cases, right?
Once again the MAGA confuses a 1.5% victory margin for a mandate.
nishikat
Then why did Trump make Elon the President?
Zaphod
Ah_so
Last time around, he was surrounded by neocons and swamp creatures who sabotaged him at every turn. This time he comes with a whole lot of people with their heads screwed on right, many of them previous Democrats (at which time the AP had no problem with them). He has definitely learned. Fwiw, I never particularly liked Trump as a person, but I do love the current Team Trump. Already in 2016, Gabbard would have been my preferred candidate for president.