JD Vance is encouraging Peter Thiel, the tech billionaire who supported his Senate campaign, to back Trump.
Thiel's Involvement in Politics
Thiel backed Trump in 2016 but has since distanced himself from politics after 2022.
Vance's Plea to Thiel
With just over two months left until Election Day, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio is urging his major financial supporter, tech billionaire Peter Thiel, to engage in the 2024 campaign.
Thiel's Political Stance
"He is fundamentally a conservative guy, and I think that he needs to get off the sidelines and support the ticket," Vance told the Financial Times recently.
Thiel's Past Support for Trump
Thiel, known for his contrarian, conservative views and as a co-founder of Paypal and Palantir, notably backed Trump in 2016 when few others in Silicon Valley did. He even spoke at the Republican National Convention that year and remains one of the few openly gay individuals to do so. He donated $1.25 million to pro-Trump groups that year.
Thiel's Recent Political Involvement
In 2022, Thiel deepened his political engagement by contributing tens of millions of dollars to super PACs to support both Vance and Blake Masters, a close associate and co-author of his book "Zero to One."
Thiel's Step Back from Politics
After the 2022 cycle, Thiel publicly announced that he would vote for the GOP presidential nominee but had no plans to financially support any candidates. He expressed his belief that financial contributions have minimal impact at the presidential level.
Continued Conversations with Thiel
Vance mentioned that discussions with Thiel are ongoing and that he is working on persuading him to remain engaged in politics despite his previous fatigue.
A spokesperson for Thiel did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
Read the original article on Business Insider.
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By: bmetzger@insider.com (Bryan Metzger)
Title: JD Vance Urges Peter Thiel to Back Trump: ‘Get Off the Sidelines’
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/jd-vance-peter-thiel-donald-trump-get-off-sidelines-2024-8
Published Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2024 18:26:40 +0000
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