Who are the major players behind Trumps election and upcoming Presidency and What their support has earned them?
The Climate Accountability Research Project or CARP has recently released their Pipeline to Power Report, informing on the relationship between Trump and his mega donors, highlighting some of the most influential billionaires and possibly revealing what their expectations may be now that Trump is in office.
Cabinet Appointments: Some loyal donors have been gifted positions of power within Trumps cabinet.
- Chris Wright: Nominee for the Department of Energy
- CEO and Chairman of Liberty Energy
- Him and his wife have donated a combined total $350 thousand to Trump’s campaign
- “There is no climate crisis... Humans and all complex life on Earth is simply impossible without carbon dioxide. Hence, the term ‘carbon pollution’ is outrageous”
- Doug Burgum: Nominee for the Department of the Interior
- Helped arrange Mar-a-Lago Dinner
- Promised to expand oil industry and set aside money to Challege federal regulations around oil and gas
- “It’s not climate change we need to be worried about, it’s the Biden climate policies that are the existential threat to America’s future”
- Lee Zeldin: Nominee for the head of EPA
- Voted to reduce EPA budget by $1.9 billion in 2017
- “I’m not sold yet on the whole argument that we have a serious problem as other people are”
- Voted against protecting the environment 164 times as a Congressional Representative
- Timothy Dunn
- CEO of CrownQuest, worth 2.2 billion and a major oil and fracking company based in Texas
- One of the top 10 donors to Trump SuperPAC
- Has been vocal about his desire for executive orders to “curb all this silliness about CO2 emissions”
- Timothy Mellon
- Oil Baron Heir; Grandson to Andrew Mellon
- Donated tens of millions to republican campaigns to try and maintain power in House and Senate elections
- Single largest donor of Trumps 2024 campaign at $125 million
CARP has also tasked themselves with monitoring the growth of these billionaires throughout the Trump Presidency.
Here is their figure mapping growth over the past 9 months:
- Elon Musk: Nominee for Department of Government Efficiency
- Tariff-threats would likely open up new opportunities for Musk’s amalgamation of company's
- SpaceX and Nasa relationship strengthened
- Peter Thiel: PayPal Co-Founder
- Federal contracts with Department of Defense and police departments through his company Palantir
- Shou Zi Chew: TikTok CEO
- Trump promises to stall ban on TikTok
- Note: Zuckerburg and Bezos were also in attendance at Trump’s inauguration despite previously criticizing Thiel for supporting the campaign in 2016
Trumps initial nominee announcements for crucial positions and his close relationship to billionaires might’ve seemed humorous and downright ridiculous in earlier days of his campaign. However, the situation is becoming increasingly dire as Trump has already begun signing executive orders at a rapid pace, likely to appease his loyal bankrollers. It is imperative to keep a watchful eye on Trump’s next steps and not let a signal EO go unnoticed.
The idea that money pays for power is not new or surprising, but it is especially blatant in this administration. Why, in the current state of American politics, can people continue to buy their way into leadership positions. Why can the uber-rich make decisions for those who are living through drastic climate change disasters? Cutting taxes for tech-bro business savvy billionaires does not have the countries' best interest in mind, and it certainly does not combat climate concerns. If someone in a big oil company can essentially send Trump "hush money" to secure a position in policy, the current government is too corrupt to be saved.
ReplyDeleteI think it is crazy that he will assign people to important positions, but they all have the same mindset, and not a mindset that they re willing to change. The problem is when the rich have a lot of money, and want to change to an alternative that is better for everyone but themselves but makes them less money, they aren't interested.
ReplyDeleteI'd also done a blog post about the nominees for EPA and DOI, and I appreciate that you specially highlight the extreme wealth that appears to be running this administration. At what point should we consider ourself an oligarchy or aristocracy as opposed to a democracy? That's a question for another class, I feel, yet still relevant when extreme money is driving our climate decisions. Knowing the financial gains these nominees have to benefit from should inform our view of whatever is about to come from their mouths or the mouths of their respective administrations to be sure. So if they cry "There is no war in Ba Sing Se" (or "There is no climate crisis", rather), we should recall where they're coming from and see through their lies.
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting how money plays a role in so many peoples lives and decisions. This post makes me think about what people would be doing and how they would make their decisions if money wasn't such an important aspect in their life. Money really is the root of all evil.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, I had a similar comment about how money talks in this world. Those with 350 million dollars to throw around seem to be "qualified" for high up positions.
DeleteI like how you started the blog with a question and the use of bullet points. I have not heard of the Climate Accountability Research Program, but it already seems very helpful already. Thank you for the clear information on the roles of the different departments, this was also very helpful.
ReplyDeleteI truly cannot believe that anyone would fall for his tricks and vote him in as president after hearing what his promises are and knowing who he is. Unfortunately I have a few in my family and it saddens me to think that we are on such opposing sides. The people he is bringing in are unqualified and over boastful about their skills. You stated everything perfectly, we should all be keeping a close eye on him.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate to the frustration of having family members fall for such blatant manipulation. Some of the articles I read/linked for this post did highlight that democrats should/might draw attention in upcoming campaigns to the fact that a man completely backed by billionaires is likely not here to support and improve the life of every day Americans.
DeleteThis makes me very nervous to witness how Trumps current presidency plays out, considering the aforementioned way Trump is already working to satisfy the demands of those who funded him. I hope that we can attempt to be hyper-vigilant and aware of what issues Trump and his 'puppeteers' try to blind us to during his time in office.
ReplyDeleteThis journal is excellent, so informative. I appreciate all the stats - I could not believe that one couple gave nearly 350 million dollars to Trump's campaign! It is no surprise he is rewarding them with such powerful positions, money talks in this world. Also, the stat of Lee voting against environmental protections over 140 times is crazy.
ReplyDeleteI like how you included the quotes from all the different nominees. It really shows what kind of people he is putting positions of power. With Trump already pulling out of the Paris agreement sets the tone for the next 4 years in the United States.
ReplyDeleteSeeing tech and oil oligarchs be handed this power is disheartening to say the least. It begs the question of what anyone's supposed to do about it when the very system put in place to protect has very obviously failed.
ReplyDeleteThis post is very intriguing especially in light of current events including Trump's inauguration to presidency. It is extremely disheartening to hear the distinct quotes from members of Trumps cabinet and his closely-held billionaire companions, blatantly shedding ignorance on the climate crisis. The content in this post is rightfully frustrating and I am anxious for what is to come during his term.
ReplyDeleteThis post is very informative and intriguing. It definitely shows that money is power in our current society. Trump has all of these people in his pocket and with what they say about the climate crisis and CO2 emissions is frankly concerning.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a fascinating and unsettling look into the deep ties between Trump and his donors. The Pipeline to Power report paints a clear picture of how financial loyalty has translated into cabinet appointments and policy influence. It is extremely concerning, especially paired with Biden's farewell speech where he warns Americans of Trump's plans for Oligarchy in the government.
ReplyDeleteAwesome, Arbor! Your take on Trump’s ties with oil and tech billionaires really made me realize how much donors influence policies. I didn’t know about CARP tracking their wealth either. What do you think how big of an impact will they have on future environmental policies? Thanks for the super informative post!
ReplyDeleteI don't know how many of you remember this but on the first day of class, Mr. Allen said I don't care if you support trump or not but the one thing we have to admit is he is going the wrong way in the climate crisis and I think this post highlights exactly why this is the case.
ReplyDeleteThis was an amazing post. It was so informative and thorough. I typically stay away from politics because I've always believed that ignorance is bliss, so I knew few of the names you had listed. I really liked how you separated the groups, listed the names, what they do, and what they believe. This was very organized, and I felt it was an easy read. I am so surprised to see how some of these men of power are going about these situations. It's disheartening.
ReplyDeleteI greatly appreciate this post and the way you formatted it! The way you were able to call attention to specific people and note what they have done and/or said. It is terrifying that Trump and his administration would rather reduce climate change policies than address the issue.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the outrage of other commenters. I thought we were supposed to live in a democracy... yet rather than reason, money seems to rule. Is that called "plutocracy"?
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