US billionaire Ken Langone, who had stopped supporting Donald Trump in recent years and had strongly criticised his tariffs just a few months ago, has now changed his stance. In an interview with CNBC on Tuesday, Langone said he now fully supports Trump and that he’s “sold on” him. He believes he has a strong chance of being remembered as one of the best presidents in US history.
Who is Ken Langone?
Ken Langone, billionaire and co-founder of Home Depot, had supported Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election. However, after the January 6 Capitol riot, he said he felt “betrayed” and told CNBC in 2021 that he would support President Joe Biden instead. In April this year, Langone, who had backed Nikki Haley’s 2024 campaign, criticised Trump’s 46% tariff on Vietnam and said that 34% tariff on China was “too aggressive, too soon.”
Now 89 years old, Langone told CNBC he has “never been more excited about the future of America” and said, “like it or not, this guy is getting things done.”
He praised Trump’s military action in Iran as “miraculous” and said the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” has “a lot of merit” and could bring major economic growth.
Back in 2024, Langone had said he feared Trump might spend his next term “getting even,” but he has since changed his mind. On Tuesday, he said that he was happy and comfortable seeing that Trump was not doing that.
Langone on his earlier criticism of Trump
Langone also said in the interview that “people are walking with more bounce,” and when asked about his earlier criticism of Trump, he replied, “when you make a mistake, admit it.”
In an interview with CNBC on Tuesday, the billionaire expressed concern about rising antisemitism in the US, especially among young people. He added, “I don’t even understand the Jews sometimes,” referring to Jewish voters in New York who supported mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.