Donald Trump Jr. Champions MAGA Startups: Fueling the Next Wave of Conservative Innovation
Since Donald Trump Jr. joined the venture capital firm 1789 Capital following his father’s election victory, he has been actively monetizing the Make America Great Again (MAGA) ecosystem. His strategic investments span various sectors including media, pharmaceuticals, firearms, and cryptocurrency, while also opposing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, according to reports from Financial Times.
1789 Capital: A Hub of Conservative Investments
The VC firm was co-founded by Trump donor Omeed Malik, a supporter of platforms like Substack, and has garnered backing from Rebekah Mercer, a financier of the conservative news outlet Breitbart. Notable early supporters of 1789 include conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, right-wing radio host Clay Travis, and tech investor Marc Andreessen, as reported by Bloomberg.
Key Investments and Acquisitions
Situated less than two miles from Mar-a-Lago, the 1789 team is deeply entrenched in the Trump sphere. Their investment activities include:
- Leading a $15 million seed round for Tucker Carlson’s new media venture.
- Investing over $50 million in Elon Musk’s companies, including xAI and SpaceX.
- Backing a beverage company founded by the right-wing YouTube group Nelk Boys.
- Investing in the prediction market platform Polymarket.
According to Bloomberg, the firm is actively seeking acquisitions, anticipating that President Trump may ease certain financial regulations.
Future Aspirations and Financial Goals
Since Inauguration Day, 1789 Capital has successfully raised $500 million. The firm aims to secure at least $1 billion for its inaugural fund by mid-year, focusing on support from endowments and pensions located in Republican states.
Trump Jr.’s Role in Public Companies
In addition to his venture capital activities, Trump Jr. serves on the boards of three publicly traded companies, which include:
- A drone manufacturing company.
- A conservative marketplace.
- A financial technology (fintech) firm.
He is also involved with BlinkRX, a portfolio company of 1789 that specializes in drug delivery services, and advises the firearm retailer GrabAGun, which they plan to take public. Furthermore, he advises the prediction market company Kalshi and, alongside his brother Eric Trump, invests in the biotech firm Dominari Holdings.
Trump Media & Technology Group
Additionally, Trump Jr. is the sole trustee of Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent organization of Truth Social. His deeper involvement in the startup and investment landscape has raised eyebrows, signaling a growing intertwining of interests between Silicon Valley and political power players in Washington, D.C., as highlighted by Bloomberg.
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