I am going to formally endorse @realDonaldTrump. I came to this decision some time ago as many @X followers have already understood from my supportive posts of Trump and my criticisms of @POTUS Biden.

The reason why I have not yet formally done so is that I want to explain my…— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) July 14, 2024

Ackman’s friends and his family were “surprised” by the endorsement, he wrote on X, and dismissed claims he wanted financial benefits or a role in a potential Trump administration.

Ackman, who previously donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to various Democrat political figures, named illegal immigration, inflationary policies and the botched withdraw from Afghanistan as the first three “catalysts for my losing total confidence in the administration and the Party.”

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These actions included opening borders without proper screening, implementing economic policies that worsened inflation, the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, introducing excessive regulations, modifying the bail system, promoting DEI ideologies, and failing to address antisemitism. He also criticized vaccine mandates, free speech restrictions, the handling of U.S. energy independence, and various foreign policy decisions. Ackman expressed concern about leadership, health, and transparency issues within the Democratic Party.

A number of my good friends and family have been surprised about my decision to support @realDonaldTrump for president. They have been surprised because my political giving history has been mostly to Democrats, my voting registration has typically been Democrat (in NY, you must…— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) October 11, 2024

Here is a shorter version of the 33 points from the tweet:

1. Open borders, unscreened immigrants.
2. Economic policies causing inflation.
3. Poor Afghanistan withdrawal.
4. Excessive regulations hurting business.
5. Loosening bail laws.
6. Decriminalizing shoplifting.
7. Limiting fracking, raising energy costs.
8. DEI policies based on identity.
9. Promoting gender ideology in schools.
10. Encouraging protests, closing schools.
11. Supporting anti-American, anti-Israel protests.
12. Rising antisemitism.
13. Mandating untested vaccines.
14. Suppressing free speech.
15. Politicizing the legal system.
16. Defunding police.
17. Subsidizing inefficient tech.
18. Government overreach.
19. Ban gas cars, stoves.
20. Ignoring terrorist killings.
21. Withholding aid to allies.
22. Weak Iran sanctions.
23. Removing terrorists from lists.
24. Concealing President’s health.
25. Ignoring poor public health.
26. Overusing vaccines on children.
27. Pharma immunity on vaccines.
28. Discouraging minority success.
29. Inadequate candidate security.
30. Blocking third-party candidates.
31. Undemocratic Democratic nominee process.
32. Selecting weak candidates.
33. Opposing voter ID laws.

Ackman also attacked Democrats for using “a backroom process by undisclosed party leaders” to select Vice President Kamala Harris instead of giving Americans the opportunity to elect a new candidate to replace President Joe Biden on the ballot.

He concluded by calling Harris an “inferior candidate” before stating “Americans lost confidence in the accuracy and trustworthiness of our voting system” as a result of laws preventing voter ID.

“I welcome your thoughts,” Ackman wrote at the end of his list of grievances.