
<p><strong>Trump’s second term may unleash a new wave of acquisitions, and mid-cap stocks could be in the crosshairs of acquirers.</strong></p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<p>T<strong>he stock market</strong> surged higher following Donald Trump’s election win earlier last year as Wall Street celebrated the new business-friendly administration and the more lenient regulatory environment it is expected to bring.</p>



<p>Under the Biden administration, dealmaking has been sluggish due in part to an aggressive antitrust approach from the Federal Trade Commission headed up by Chair Lina Khan. A year-and-a-half Federal Reserve rate hiking campaign also slowed the pace of deals. Trump, however, has made it no secret that he wants to overhaul government departments, and once he takes office in January, a change in the FTC seems like it will be among his first orders of business. Plus, the Fed started cutting rates in September.</p>



<p>Dealmakers and corporate lenders are expecting a second Trump term to usher in a new era of merger and acquisition activity, while Wall Street now expects that under Trump, stalled deals like the Kroger-Albertsons grocery merger could get the green light.</p>



<p>Recent interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve have lowered the cost of capital for companies to do deals, particularly those involving debt. The dollar-volume of M&amp;A activity in 2025 will rise 20%, compared to a 15% decline this year, says Goldman Sachs’ chief U.S. equity strategist, David Kostin.</p>



<p>“A tidal wave of tech M&amp;A and overall deal activity could now be on the horizon with Trump in the White House,” says analyst Dan Ives at Wedbush.</p>



<p>Public company CEOs have also lauded what they see as a more favorable outlook for dealmaking. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav told analysts on a call earlier this month that the new Trump administration would be beneficial for business consolidation.</p>



<p>Andrew Peck, co-chief investment officer at $43 billion Baron Capital, predicts that sectors like healthcare, consumer staples and especially technology—where larger companies are sitting on big cash piles—are ripe for M&amp;A activity. CFRA Chief Investment Strategist Sam Stovall agrees about healthcare and consumer staples but adds to the list depressed sectors like industrials and materials. Bank of America says that just about any company with positive cash flow, above-average sales growth and low debt levels are takeover candidates.</p>



<p>Mid-caps, which range in market capitalization from about $2 billion to $10 billion, have been the stock market’s sweet spot since the turn of the century, with the S&amp;P Midcap 400 Index posting total returns 39% higher than both the large cap S&amp;P 500 Index and Russell 2000 Small Cap Index. An investment of $10,000 in May 2000 in the MDY exchange traded fund that tracks the S&amp;P 400 has mushroomed into a value of $92,260. By comparison, $10,000 invested in the SPY, which mirrors the S&amp;P 500, and IWM, which tracks the Russell 2000, grew into $65,560 and $66,430, respectively.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<p><strong><abbr>F</abbr>orbes decided to hunt</strong>&nbsp;for acquisition candidates among under-the-radar mid-cap stocks by selecting companies appealing to potential acquirers interested in both growth and value.</p>



<p>In screening for top targets in the growth category,&nbsp;<em>Forbes</em>&nbsp;used the following metrics: Companies with a market range of between $2 billion and $15 billion, closely approximating the typical range for mid-cap stocks. These companies are big enough to exert competitive pressure on larger cap companies in their industry, spurring takeover interest. They are also small enough to be easily digestible for larger companies, and for private equity firms and Warren Buffett-style investors in search of well-run businesses that produce consistent and rising cash flows. There are more than 10,000 private equity firms globally and according to an S&amp;P Global report earlier this year, they are sitting on a record $2.6 trillion in dry powder.</p>



<p>For our mid-cap growth candidates, we required stocks to have more than a 7% increase in current-year earnings per share and revenue. We also required a return on invested capital (ROIC) of at least 15%, a calculation used to determine how well a company allocates money to profitable projects or investments. For the value category, we additionally required shareholder yield of greater than 4% but dropped the requirement for 7% current year growth in earnings per and revenue.</p>



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<p>On<strong>both lists&nbsp;</strong>we also considered enterprise value divided by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization—a metric widely used by acquiring firms that looks at the amount of cash flow generated if you were to buy all of a company’s stock and assume all of its debt. Finally, we then ranked both lists by ROIC and took the 10 stocks ranking highest in that metric.</p>



<p>Top of both the growth and value lists was Dropbox, the $8.5 billion (market capitalization) cloud storage company. Though shares are down some 7% this year, Dropbox boasted an impressive 55.6% return on invested capital, meaning that management has had a good track record of investing in profitable projects.</p>



<p>On our value list, the top performers were all in the consumer staples sector, though their share prices have largely been flat this year. These include retailer Bath &amp; Body Works, department store chain Dillard’s and footwear brand Crocs, which boasted a 37%, 28% and 26% return on invested capital, respectively.</p>



<p>The top targets in our growth list, meanwhile, include the likes of home service plan provider Frontdoor, radiopharmaceutical company Lantheus Holdings and clothing retailer Abercrombie &amp; Fitch. Many of these stocks have seen share prices jump higher in 2024 on the back of solid earnings growth: Lantheus is up 20% while Abercrombie &amp; Fitch and Frontdoor have both risen more than 50%.</p>



<p>“Regulatory shifts may open doors but won&#8217;t fundamentally change what makes a good deal good, and while a potential administration change could ease regulatory scrutiny, factors like higher interest rates could offset any surge in deal activity,” cautions Kurt Havnaer, manager of the Jensen Quality Mid Cap (JNVIX) mutual fund. “Looking ahead, acquirers will likely remain selective, focusing on deals that create tangible shareholder value through revenue synergies, market expansion, and operational efficiencies.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://sync.graph.bluecava.com/ds.png?p=4cb3430d-9dfd-11ef-a5fe-4201ac100015&amp;segment=forbeseval" alt=""/></figure>


Donald Trump Campaigns For President In Raleigh, North Carolina

Wall Street Expects A Dealmaking Boom Under Trump. These 20 Stocks Are Prime Targets


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received guidance to immediately stop working with the World Health Organization following President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the United Nations agency—though the immediate stop to work surprised CDC staff, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-who-trump-548cf18b1c409c7d22e17311ccdfe1f6" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Associated Press</a>&nbsp;and The Washington Post&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/27/trump-presidency-news/#link-PNY2UHHRDFBXFBRQW5IXX3ZW44" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reported</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Deputy Director for Global Health for the CDC John Nkengasong sent a memo to senior agency leaders Sunday advising them that agency staff who work with WHO should stop their collaborations and “await further guidance,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-who-trump-548cf18b1c409c7d22e17311ccdfe1f6" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Associated Press</a>&nbsp;reported Monday.</p>



<p>The Washington Post&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/27/trump-presidency-news/#link-PNY2UHHRDFBXFBRQW5IXX3ZW44" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;the memo said the direction applied to “all CDC staff engaging with WHO through technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, cooperative agreements or other means” whether virtually or in person and prevents CDC staff from going to WHO offices.</p>



<p>On his first day back in office, Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/withdrawing-the-united-states-from-the-worldhealth-organization/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;that began the process of withdrawing from WHO, citing “the organization’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic” and that it demands “unfairly onerous payments” from the U.S.</p>



<p>It is legal from Trump to withdraw the U.S. from WHO, but the U.S. must give “a one-year notice” and meet its financial obligations to the agency for that fiscal year, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://maint.loc.gov/law/help/statutes-at-large/80th-congress/session-2/c80s2ch469.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">joint resolution</a>&nbsp;from 1948, and there is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/01/21/trump-withdrawal-world-health-organization/#A5TWCZYCWRDLVD7QKHYMTW76UU-4" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">debate</a>&nbsp;around whether it requires congressional approval, as well.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



<p>Trump’s order directed the secretary of state and director of the Office of Management and Budget to pause the future transfer of funds and support to WHO and “recall and reassign” personnel working with WHO, but Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a University of Southern California public health expert who works with WHO,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-who-trump-548cf18b1c409c7d22e17311ccdfe1f6" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told the AP</a>&nbsp;“people thought there would be a slow withdrawal,” adding: “This has really caught everyone with their pants down.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>This is not the first time Trump tried to withdraw from WHO. In July 2020, he took steps to leave in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/29/politics/donald-trump-world-health-organization/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">saying</a>&nbsp;at the time the organization “failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms” and that the U.S. would redirect “funds to other worldwide and deserving, urgent global public health needs,” CNN reported. The decision was met with criticism from Democrats and then-presidential candidate Joe Biden said he would reverse the decision if elected, which his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-who-support-006ed181e016afa55d4cea30af236227" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">administration did</a>. The WHO is a United Nations agency that works on global efforts to expand health coverage and improve global health. Any country in the United Nations is able to join WHO by accepting its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/about/governance/constitution" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Constitution</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">Contra</h2>



<p>At a rally in Las Vegas on Saturday, Trump hinted that he would consider rejoining WHO, saying “maybe we would consider doing it again … maybe we would have to clean it up a bit,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/trump-floats-reversing-decision-to-leave-who/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Politico</a>&nbsp;reported.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>The executive order starting the process to withdraw from WHO was one of many Trump signed on his first day back in office. He&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/01/21/trumps-executive-orders-here-are-all-his-big-day-one-actions-on-immigration-energy-tiktok-and-more/">also signed</a>&nbsp;executive orders ordering mass deportations of anyone in the U.S. illegally, creating the Department of Government Efficiency, eliminating governmental programs on diversity, equity and inclusion, and more.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-who-trump-548cf18b1c409c7d22e17311ccdfe1f6" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">CDC ordered to stop working with WHO immediately, upending expectations of an extended withdrawal</a>&nbsp;(Associated Press)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/01/21/trumps-executive-orders-here-are-all-his-big-day-one-actions-on-immigration-energy-tiktok-and-more/">Trump’s Executive Orders: Here Are All His Big Day-One Actions On Immigration, Energy, TikTok And More</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/trump-floats-reversing-decision-to-leave-who/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Trump floats reversing decision to leave WHO</a>&nbsp;(Politico)</p>



<p></p>


U.S. President Trump Seeks U.S. Withdrawal From World Health Organization

CDC Ordered To Stop Working With WHO Immediately


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Big-name billionaires worth a collective $1.2 trillion—including four of the five richest men in the world—attended the inauguration of President Donald Trump Monday morning as many looked to strengthen their relationship with the pro-business president as he takes office.&nbsp;<strong>(Follow here for&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/01/20/trump-inauguration-live-updates-trump-will-return-to-office-in-hours/"><strong>Inauguration Day</strong></a><strong>&nbsp;updates.)</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2194374953.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64393 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2194374953.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2194374953-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2194374953-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<p><em><strong>Donald Trump Jr., Howard Lutnick, Sundar Pichai, Elon Musk, and Doug Burgum attend the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th President of the United States. (Photo by Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)</strong></em></p>
</div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The world’s three wealthiest people attended multiple inauguration morning events:<strong>&nbsp;</strong>Amazon founder<strong>&nbsp;Jeff Bezos&nbsp;</strong>(worth $239.4 billion according to Forbes’ estimates), Meta’s&nbsp;<strong>Mark Zuckerberg</strong>&nbsp;($211.8 billion) and&nbsp;<strong>Elon Musk&nbsp;</strong>($433.9 billion), the Tesla CEO, world’s richest person and presidential confidant who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/musk-spent-over-quarter-billion-dollars-help-elect-trump-2024-12-06/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">spent</a>&nbsp;over a quarter of a billion dollars to help Trump win November&#8217;s election.</p>



<p>OpenAI CEO&nbsp;<strong>Sam Altman</strong>&nbsp;($1.1 billion) and Apple CEO&nbsp;<strong>Tim Cook&nbsp;</strong>($2.2 billion), who donated money to the inauguration, were in the Capitol Rotunda Monday morning, as was billionaire backer&nbsp;<strong>Miriam Adelson&nbsp;</strong>($31.9 billion) and former Fox News Chairman&nbsp;<strong>Rupert Murdoch</strong>&nbsp;($22.2 billion).</p>



<p><strong>Bernard Arnault&nbsp;</strong>($179.6 billion), the head of the LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton luxury empire and the richest person in France, was&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/elizlanders/status/1881398108179046670?s=46&amp;t=bUTQCdKx4w7TbNWl8KRyJw" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">at the inauguration</a>&nbsp;with his son, Alexandre.</p>



<p><strong>Mukesh Ambani</strong>&nbsp;($98.1 billion), the richest man in India,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trumps-inauguration-billionaires-ceos-ambani-zuckerberg-bezos-attend-church-2025-01-20/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reportedly</a>&nbsp;attended inauguration events, and Trump’s friend&nbsp;<strong>Phil Ruffin</strong>, a Las Vegas casino executive worth $4.7 billion, was also spotted at the Capitol, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/20/us/trump-inauguration-president/e39d0884-13c3-5d0c-912c-72acfc9cd270?smid=url-share" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>.</p>



<p>Several billionaires and their spouses have been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/12/22/the-billionaires-trumps-picked-for-next-administration-elon-musk-tilman-fertitta-and-more/">offered top roles</a>&nbsp;in the Trump administration, including&nbsp;<strong>Howard Lutnick</strong>&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2024/11/20/the-most-hated-guy-on-wall-street-the-unspoken-story-around-howard-lutnick-trumps-pick-for-commerce-secretary/">$1.5 billion</a>) and&nbsp;<strong>Vivek Ramaswamy</strong>&nbsp;($1 billion), both of whom were seen at the inauguration.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="594" height="396" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2194369892.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64391" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2194369892.jpg 594w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2194369892-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 594px) 100vw, 594px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong><em>(Photo by Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)</em></strong></figcaption></figure>



<p>Coinbase CEO&nbsp;<strong>Brian Armstrong</strong>&nbsp;($12.8 billion) was invited to inauguration-related events, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-10/openai-meta-uber-ceos-plan-to-attend-trump-inauguration-events" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a>, but hadn’t yet been seen as of the swearing in.</p>



<p>Other billionaires who have been offered jobs in the administration, but their attendance wasn’t confirmed, include&nbsp;<strong>Stephen Feinberg</strong>&nbsp;($5 billion),&nbsp;<strong>Warren Stephens</strong>&nbsp;($3.4 billion),&nbsp;<strong>Jared Isaacman</strong>&nbsp;($1.9 billion),&nbsp;<strong>Steve Witkoff&nbsp;</strong>($1 billion), Linda McMahon (husband&nbsp;<strong>Vince McMahon</strong>&nbsp;is worth $3 billion) and Kelly Loeffler (husband&nbsp;<strong>Jeff Sprecher</strong>&nbsp;is worth $1.1 billion).</p>



<p>Zuckerberg co-hosted a pre-Inaugural Ball&nbsp;<a href="https://puck.news/mark-zuckerberg-is-throwing-an-inauguration-party-for-trump/?_gl=1*17fobxi*_up*MQ..*_ga*OTIwODg3ODI1LjE3MzY5MzkxMjY.*_ga_SEFD191RFM*MTczNjkzOTEyNi4xLjAuMTczNjkzOTEyNi4wLjAuMA.." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reception</a>&nbsp;for Trump alongside Adelson,<strong>&nbsp;Tilman Fertitta</strong>&nbsp;($10.2 billion) and Todd Ricketts, whose father&nbsp;<strong>J. Joe Ricketts</strong>&nbsp;and family are worth an estimated $4.2 billion.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How Much Is Trump Worth?</h2>



<p><strong>Trump&nbsp;</strong>himself is worth an estimated $6.7 billion thanks to his stake in Truth Social&#8217;s parent company, his real estate investments and other assets.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Other Billionaires Could Attend?</h2>



<p>Dozens of other billionaires also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/10/30/kamala-harris-has-more-billionaires-prominently-backing-her-than-trump-bezos-and-griffin-weigh-in-updated/">supported Trump</a>&nbsp;on his road to a second term who haven’t been confirmed as attendees, including&nbsp;<strong>Robert “Woody” Johnson</strong>&nbsp;($3.3 billion),&nbsp;<strong>Elizabeth&nbsp;</strong>and&nbsp;<strong>Richard Uihlein</strong>&nbsp;(each worth $5.9 billion),&nbsp;<strong>Roger Penske</strong>&nbsp;($6.5 billion) and&nbsp;<strong>Timothy Mellon</strong>&nbsp;(family was worth $14.1 billion).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Did Billionaires Like Musk, Bezos And Zuckerberg Back Trump’s Campaign?</h2>



<p>Some of them did, but others either stayed out of the presidential race or were Trump foes before they started trying to make nice. Zuckerberg’s Meta previously&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/01/07/mark-zuckerberg-blasts-trump-and-announces-indefinite-ban-on-presidents-facebook-instagram-accounts/">banned</a>&nbsp;Trump from Instagram and Facebook—and Trump once&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/08/28/trump-zuckerberg-election-book-00176639" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">threatened</a>&nbsp;to send him to prison—before he fell in line following the election results. Since then, Zuckerberg has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/12/23/ford-will-donate-1-million-fleet-of-vehicles-to-trump-inauguration-latest-company-to-contribute/">donated</a>&nbsp;$1 million to his inaugural fund,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/trump-zuckerberg-meet-mar-a-lago-semafor-reports-2025-01-11/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">met with Trump</a>&nbsp;at Mar-A-Lago, made&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/01/07/meta-ditches-fact-checks-for-x-style-community-notes-zuckerberg-says-it-will-restore-free-expression/">changes</a>&nbsp;to how its platforms fact-check posts and put Trump’s friend Dana White on Meta’s board. In the leadup to the election, Zuckerberg did not endorse a candidate but did&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-19/mark-zuckerberg-calls-donald-trump-badass-without-endorsing-for-president" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">call</a>&nbsp;Trump’s response to his assassination attempt “badass.” Bezos also has a history of clashing with Trump: Amazon in 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2019/12/09/amazon-blames-trumps-personal-dislike-of-bezos-for-losing-pentagon-jedi-contract/">blamed Trump&#8217;s</a>&nbsp;&#8220;personal dislike&#8221; of Bezos for losing a multibillion-dollar cloud computing contract with the Pentagon, and Trump has been critical of the Bezos-owned Washington Post. Bezos didn’t endorse Trump last year but&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1812315786507088370?lang=en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;he “showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire” following the assassination attempt, and donated $1 million to the inaugural fund. Others have supported him all along. Musk is among Trump’s biggest donors, alongside&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/miriam-adelson/?list=rtb/">Adelson</a>, the widow of billionaire Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson, who donated $100 million to the pro-Trump super PAC Preserve America during the election.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/tilman-fertitta/?list=rtb/">Fertitta</a>, owner of the Houston Rockets and Landry’s restaurant group, has been nominated to serve as U.S. ambassador to Italy after the Texas billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/21/donald-trump-tilman-fertitta-ambassador/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">hosted a fundraiser</a>&nbsp;for Trump last year. Ricketts, a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs, has been a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-political-scene/trump-collides-with-the-world-of-baseball" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">major fundraiser</a>&nbsp;for Republican politicians and, while he initially fundraised within the party against Trump during his first campaign, he ultimately went on to spearhead pro-Trump fundraising in 2020 and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/todd-ricketts-attending-trump-campaign-fundraiser" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">last year</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tangent</h2>



<p>Other corporate leaders planned on attending the inauguration, including Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/donald-trump-inauguration-ceos-business-fundraising-2b0d5086" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal</a>. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew attended, after his platform took itself offline Sunday due to a nationwide ban taking effect—and restored service when Trump vowed to delay the ban upon taking office. Other supporters are throwing events around Washington over inauguration weekend,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/donald-trump-inauguration-ceos-business-fundraising-2b0d5086" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">including</a>&nbsp;an “Inaugural Crypto Ball” that featured Snoop Dogg and a party held by Uber and its CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-10/openai-meta-uber-ceos-plan-to-attend-trump-inauguration-events" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Dara Khosrowshahi</a>. James Quincey, CEO of Coca-Cola Company, on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/margomartin/status/1879330618225676448" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">presented Trump</a>&nbsp;with the &#8220;first ever Presidential Commemorative Inaugural Diet Coke bottle.&#8221; Microsoft, Ford, Google and AI search startup Perplexity also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2025/01/09/google-will-donate-another-1-million-to-trumps-record-high-inaugural-fund/">donated $1 million</a>&nbsp;to the inaugural fund.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/donald-trump-inauguration-ceos-business-fundraising-2b0d5086" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Ripple</a>, a crypto company, gave $5 million worth of its cryptocurrency to the inaugural committee. Other major donors include Goldman Sachs, Intuit, Toyota, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, General Motors, Bank of America, AT&amp;T and Stanley Black &amp; Decker, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/trump-inauguration-sponsors-large-company-donations-a3cc1b92?mod=article_inline" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Journal reported</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Big Number</h2>



<p>More than $170 million. That’s how much Trump’s inaugural fund is believed to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/08/us/politics/trump-inauguration-donors.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">have raised,</a>&nbsp;almost three times as much as the $62 million raised by President Joe Biden four years ago and well above the previous record of $107 million, set by Trump&#8217;s 2016 inauguration. Donors who gave $1 million, or raised $2 million from others, were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/trump-inauguration-sponsors-large-company-donations-a3cc1b92?mod=article_inline" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reportedly given</a>&nbsp;six tickets to a series of events in the days leading up to the inauguration, including a “candlelight dinner” with Trump and Melania Trump and a black-tie ball.</p>


The Inauguration Of Donald J. Trump As The 47th President

Billionaires Worth A Combined $1.2 Trillion Attended Trump’s Inauguration: Here’s Who Was There—From Musk To Bezos


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The price of Bitcoin crossed $100,000 for the first time and hit an all-time high of nearly $104,000 late on Wednesday, as the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency continued its post-election bull run as President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to embrace crypto-friendly policies.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Bitcoin hit an all-time high of $103,900 on Wednesday night before settling at around $103,100 just before midnight, up 7.62% in the past 24 hours.</p>



<p>The $100,000 mark was breached for the first time late on Wednesday evening after the token’s price hovered just under $98,000 for nearly two weeks in what initially appeared to be a flattening of the post-election bull run.</p>



<p>Bitcoin’s price has risen more than 36% since election day, when it was valued at around $75,600.</p>



<p>Ether, the second most valuable crypto token, also appeared to be buoyed by Bitcoin’s surge and rose to $3,870 on Wednesday night, up more than 5.4% in the past 24 hours.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">News Peg</h2>



<p>Earlier on Wednesday, Trump announced Paul Atkins as his pick for the Securities And Exchange Commission’s chair role. Trump alluded to his pro-crypto view in his&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113595807734621827" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">announcement</a>, describing Atkins as someone who “recognizes that digital assets &amp; other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before.” Last month, current SEC Chair Gary Gensler&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024-182" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;his plans to step down in January. The crypto world reacted to the news of Gensler’s exit with&nbsp;<a href="https://decrypt.co/292941/crypto-industry-bids-farewell-gary-gensler" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">relief and joy</a>&nbsp;as the SEC under his leadership had undertaken several enforcement actions against crypto companies—including major exchanges.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>133.41%. The rise in Bitcoin’s price since the start of this year, when it was at $44,200.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>The post-election surge in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency prices has come as Trump has vowed to be the “crypto president,” and move away from the Biden administration’s regulatory actions against the industry. The president-elect has promised to transform the U.S into the “crypto capital of the planet,” and has vowed to “keep 100% of all the bitcoin the U.S. government currently holds or acquires into the future.” The pro-crypto embrace is a major shift in stance for Trump who previously&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57392734" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">expressed skepticism</a>&nbsp;about the industry and called it a “scam” and a disaster waiting to happen.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/11/13/bitcoin-price-crosses-90000-for-first-time-ever-amid-trump-crypto-surge/">Bitcoin Price Crosses $90,000 For First Time Ever Amid Trump Crypto Surge</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/12/02/ripples-xrp-is-now-the-fourth-largest-cryptocurrency-after-100-billion-post-election-surge/">XRP Is Now The Fourth Largest Cryptocurrency After $100 Billion Post-Election Surge</a> (Forbes)<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/"></a></p>


Mid-section of young Asian woman using smartphone in city at night, against illuminated street lights bokeh, working with Bitcoin technologies, investing or trading Bitcoin on cryptocurrency. Business on the go

Bitcoin Surges Past $100,000 For The First Time


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Donald Trump announced Saturday he would impose a 100% tariff on BRICS nations if they try to replace the dollar in international trade, impacting a group of major developing economies whose members include Russia, India, China and Iran, among others, marking the latest threats by the president-elect to impose tariffs on imports from several countries.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>In a&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113573130299319701" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;on Truth Social, Trump said the 100% tariff would affect all BRICS countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates—until they commit to not creating a new BRICS currency or back another currency that could replace the “mighty” dollar.</p>



<p>Brazilian President Inacio Luiz&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-13/lula-supports-brics-currency-to-replace-dollar-in-foreign-trade?leadSource=uverify%20wall" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">called on</a>&nbsp;BRICS nations to develop an alternative to the dollar in foreign trade last year, arguing countries that don’t use the dollar should not be forced to use the currency, while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/what-is-brics-currency-could-one-be-adopted-2023-08-23/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">suggesting</a>&nbsp;a new BRICS-supported currency “increases our payment options and reduces our vulnerabilities.”</p>



<p>There is “no chance” BRICS could replace the dollar in international trade, and any country that tries to do so should “wave goodbye to America,” Trump said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



<p>“The idea that the BRICS countries are trying to move away from the dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER,” Trump wrote, adding the nations “should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. economy.”</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GettyImages-2183216841.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-63584" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GettyImages-2183216841.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GettyImages-2183216841-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GettyImages-2183216841-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong><em>(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)</em></strong></figcaption></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Trump’s proposed tariffs on imports from BRICS nations is his latest economic threat in recent weeks. BRICS was founded as an informal international group in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, though its membership&nbsp;<a href="https://infobrics.org/page/history-of-brics/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">expanded</a>&nbsp;to more nations with “reflecting common stances on topical global development issues,” according to the organization. The group has increasingly called for reduced dependence on the U.S. as it aims to establish new financial organizations. Earlier this month, Trump announced a 10% tariff on Chinese goods and a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, which he said would remain until the three nations curb the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. and migrants. Trump has claimed the tariffs would protect American jobs, though&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/09/10/will-trumps-tariffs-raise-prices-what-to-know-as-kamala-harris-slams-policy-at-debate/">experts</a>&nbsp;have claimed his proposed tariffs could substantially raise prices for American consumers. During his first administration, Trump launched a trade war with China after imposing tariffs that targeted $200 billion worth of Chinese imports.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday he had an “excellent conversation” with Trump after he threatened Canada with tariffs. The pair had a “positive wide-ranging dinner” with topics that included trade, border security, Ukraine and China, among others, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trudeau-trump-canada-tariffs-mexico-border-e0ee7f9b3dddc80d1260585c11869fff" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a> to the Associated Press. President Claudia Sheinbaum <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/11/26/mexico-could-hit-us-with-tariffs-in-retaliation-for-trumps-threats-president-suggests/">suggested</a> earlier this week Mexico would impose tariffs on the U.S. in response to Trump’s tariff proposals. Sheinbaum said she would be meeting with Trump “soon.”</p>


Brics Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa August 22-24, 2023

Donald Trump Threatens BRICS Countries—Including Russia, India—With 100% Tariffs


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline"><a href="https://www.forbes.com/"></a><a href="https://www.forbes.com/search/"></a>Topline</h2>



<p>President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday named ex-Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as his director of national intelligence, praising her experience as a veteran and her “broad support in both Parties” when announcing her appointment, even as Gabbard has blasted Democrats since leaving the party and emerged as a controversial figure on foreign policy matters.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Gabbard—who served in the House representing Hawaii from 2013 to 2021 and briefly ran for president as a Democrat in 2020—<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/08/26/ex-democratic-candidate-tulsi-gabbard-endorses-trump/">endorsed</a>&nbsp;Trump in August and joined his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/08/27/trump-putting-rfk-jr-and-tulsi-gabbard-on-transition-team/">transition team</a>&nbsp;shortly after.</p>



<p>Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022 to become an independent, saying at the time that Democrats were an “elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness,” before&nbsp;<a href="https://nypost.com/2024/10/22/us-news/former-dem-rep-tulsi-gabbard-announces-shes-joined-republican-party-at-trump-rally/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">joining</a>&nbsp;the Republican Party this October.</p>



<p>Gabbard has long been a critic of U.S. foreign policy—recently criticizing U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1848480251023868237" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">aid</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine—and The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/us/politics/trump-tulsi-gabbard-director-national-intelligence.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">New York Times reported</a>&nbsp;her selection as director of intelligence indicates Trump’s intention to give foreign policy roles to those “deeply skeptical of the effectiveness of U.S. military intervention abroad.”</p>



<p>She drew criticism in 2017 after she quietly visited Syria and met with President Bashar al-Assad,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/25/politics/tulsi-gabbard-lead-syria/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">saying</a>&nbsp;at the time she did so “because I felt that it’s important that if we profess to truly care about the Syrian people, about their suffering, then we’ve got to be able to meet with anyone that we need to if there is a possibility that we can achieve peace.”</p>



<p>Two years later, during her presidential run, Gabbard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/10/tulsi-gabbard-assad-syria-1214882" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">refused</a>&nbsp;to call him a war criminal and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/06/politics/tulsi-gabbard-syria-assad/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;he was “not the enemy of the United States because Syria does not pose a direct threat to the United States.”</p>



<p>Gabbard also did not give a direct answer when asked if she would trust the U.S. intelligence community if she were elected,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/10/tulsi-gabbard-assad-syria-1214882" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">saying</a>, “We have, in our recent past, a situation where our own government told lies to the American people, and to the United Nations for that matter, to launch a war,” referencing the 2003 invasion of Iraq.</p>



<p>Gabbard was a member of the Hawaii National Guard and was deployed to Iraq in 2005, and said she endorsed Trump in part because she said he sees “war as a last resort” and “understands the grave responsibility that a president” bears for the lives of those serving their country.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-the-director-of-national-intelligence-do">What Does The Director Of National Intelligence Do?</h2>



<p>If confirmed by Congress, Gabbard would be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the National Intelligence Program and acting as the main adviser to Trump, the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council on intelligence matters tied to national security. Gabbard would oversee 18 different spy agencies, The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/us/politics/trump-tulsi-gabbard-director-national-intelligence.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">New York Times reported</a>, and would also prepare a daily briefing for Trump—which he reportedly did not often read in his first term. John Ratcliffe—who Trump recently named as his pick for the director of the CIA—served as the director of intelligence during Trump’s first term.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



<p>Gabbard, in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1856798431605657969" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">tweet</a>, thanked Trump “for the opportunity to serve as a member of your cabinet to defend the safety, security and freedom of the American people.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Since leaving the Democratic Party, Gabbard has been a frequent guest on conservative news outlets and vocally critical of Democrats,&nbsp;<a href="https://time.com/7096376/tulsi-gabbard-democrat-republican-political-evolution-history-trump/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">calling</a>&nbsp;Trump’s opponent Vice President Kamala Harris “anti-freedom … pro-censorship … pro-open borders … pro-war without even pretending to care about peace.” She was rumored to be in the running to be Trump’s running mate, and said in May she would “be honored” to do so. After endorsing Trump this year, she helped him prepare for his debate against Harris, which the Trump team said was in part because she “successfully dominated Kamala Harris on the debate stage in 2020.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">News Peg</h2>



<p>Trump has been steadily announcing his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/11/13/trumps-cabinet-here-are-his-picks-for-key-roles-stephen-miller-elon-musk-pete-hegseth-and-more/">cabinet picks</a>&nbsp;since winning the election. Other notable appointments so far include billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the new “Department of Government Efficiency,” Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., as attorney general.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">Surprising Fact</h2>



<p>If confirmed, Gabbard will replace Avril Haines, who was sworn in under President Joe Biden in 2021 and became the first woman to lead the U.S. intelligence community.</p>


Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump Campaigns In Pennsylvania

What To Know About Tulsi Gabbard—Former Democrat Named Trump’s Director Of National Intelligence


<p>The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, is a pivotal moment for African nations advocating for significant climate finance to address the dire consequences of climate change on the continent. The re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump, a known climate change skeptic, casts a shadow over negotiations, raising questions about future global commitments.</p>



<p><strong>A Continent at a Crossroads</strong></p>



<p>&#8220;Africa contributes the least to global greenhouse gas emissions yet suffers the most from climate change impacts,&#8221; says Dr Christopher Trisos, Senior Research Officer at the African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI) at the University of Cape Town. In an interview with FORBES AFRICA,Trisos emphasizes the urgency: &#8220;The 2020s must be a decade of accelerated climate action if we are to limit the worst impacts of climate change. Delays now mean increased warming and more severe consequences for the continent.&#8221;</p>



<p>African nations face intensified droughts, floods, and extreme weather, threatening livelihoods and economies. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns Africa is among the most vulnerable continents due to high exposure and low adaptive capacity.</p>



<p><strong>The Impact of Trump&#8217;s Re-election</strong></p>



<p>Trump&#8217;s return introduces significant uncertainties into negotiations. &#8220;The re-election of Trump puts the U.S. delegation in a difficult position,&#8221; Trisos notes. &#8220;Having an outspoken climate change denier back in the White House is a setback for enhancing action within the United States and globally.&#8221;</p>



<p>Previously, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, undermining international efforts. His stance raises fears of diminished support for crucial climate initiatives. &#8220;It complicates the picture because with his isolationist and anti-climate action policies, the U.S. will be seen as a much less trusted partner,&#8221; Trisos adds.</p>



<p><strong>South Africa&#8217;s Leadership and Challenges</strong></p>



<p>As Africa&#8217;s most industrialized nation and largest emitter, South Africa plays a critical role, balancing economic development with the imperative to reduce emissions.</p>



<p>South Africa&#8217;s Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), announced at COP26, involves $8.5 billion in funding to support the shift from coal to renewables. However, implementation faces hurdles requiring a balance to increase renewables without constraining economic development.</p>



<p><strong>The Quest for Equitable Climate Finance</strong></p>



<p>At COP29&#8217;s heart is establishing a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance. Despite a decade-old pledge by developed nations to mobilize $100 billion annually by 2020, this target hasn&#8217;t been fully met. &#8220;It&#8217;s widely acknowledged they missed that target,&#8221; says Trisos. &#8220;Developed countries often do the accounting themselves without independent audits, leading to disputes over actual amounts delivered.&#8221;</p>



<p>According to a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), developing countries require around $1.1 trillion annually from 2025, rising to $1.8 trillion by 2030. The NCQG aims to reflect these needs based on scientific assessments.</p>



<p>&#8220;Getting the climate finance right is essential,&#8221; Trisos asserts. &#8220;It&#8217;s not just about numbers; it&#8217;s about equitable distribution and ensuring that finance doesn&#8217;t increase debt burdens on developing nations.&#8221;</p>



<p><strong>Voices from the Continent</strong></p>



<p>At COP29, Ambassador Seyni Nafo, Coordinator of the Africa Adaptation Initiative, emphasized the need for increased climate finance. He stated, &#8220;The new collective quantified goal on climate finance must reflect the real needs of developing countries, particularly in Africa, to build resilience against climate impacts.&#8221;</p>



<p>Youth activists are making their voices heard. Ayakha Melithafa, a South African climate activist and member of the Presidential Climate Commission, stressed the importance of immediate action: &#8220;We are the generation that will face the consequences of inaction. Our leaders must commit to real change now.&#8221;</p>



<p><strong>Challenges in Carbon Markets and Offsets</strong></p>



<p>Carbon offsets and trading mechanisms are contentious at COP29. While they offer potential pathways for climate finance, concerns about effectiveness persist. &#8220;There have been recent scandals in voluntary carbon markets where the amount of carbon offset was inflated,&#8221; Trisos points out. &#8220;This undermines trust and can result in a worse situation if emissions are not genuinely reduced.&#8221;</p>



<p>Lack of robust regulations raises greenwashing risks. &#8220;The rules adopted are not clear enough on what happens if, for instance, a forest planted as a carbon offset burns down due to climate change,&#8221; he explains. &#8220;We need stringent standards to ensure environmental integrity.&#8221;</p>



<p><strong>Navigating Global Conflicts and Military Emissions</strong></p>



<p>Global conflicts and military activities add complexity. &#8220;The world&#8217;s militaries are massive emissions operations,&#8221; says Trisos. &#8220;For example, the U.S. military, if it were a country, would rank high globally in emissions.&#8221;</p>



<p>He cautions against militarizing climate solutions: &#8220;Viewing climate change as a security threat to be solved by militaries reduces the opportunity for creating a more just future through collaboration and equitable finance.&#8221;</p>



<p><strong>Financing Africa’s Climate Future</strong></p>



<p>Despite challenges, pathways to a sustainable future are emerging, and redirecting global finance toward climate action is essential. &#8220;There is more than sufficient global finance to address the climate crisis,&#8221; notes Trisos. &#8220;What&#8217;s missing is the regulation and political will to allocate that finance towards climate action rather than fossil fuels.&#8221;</p>



<p>Innovative financing mechanisms, like a global frequent flyers tax, could generate funds without burdening developing nations. African nations are prioritizing regional collaborations and renewable energy projects.</p>



<p>As COP29 progresses, urgency for concrete action intensifies. While Trump’s re-election raises uncertainties, African nations remain resolute. &#8220;Climate finance is not charity; it&#8217;s a matter of justice,&#8221; asserts Trisos. &#8220;Those who have contributed most to the climate crisis must support those who are bearing the brunt.&#8221;</p>



<p>Ultimately, COP29&#8217;s success hinges on nations’ ability to rise above political challenges and uphold commitments. &#8220;African countries are at a crossroads,&#8221; Trisos concludes. &#8220;The decisions made today will determine whether we can build a more sustainable and equitable future.&#8221;</p>


COP29 UNFCCC Climate Conference In Baku

Africa’s Climate Finance Demands At COP29: Navigating Global Challenges Amid Trump’s Return


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Republicans officially clinched control of the House of Representatives on Wednesday night, affirming GOP control of both chambers of Congress and the White House.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/senate-house-election-updates-11-7-2024" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">called</a>&nbsp;the contest for Republicans around 10:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday, after Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., won reelection, giving Republicans the 218 seats needed to retain their majority.</p>



<p>Nine seats remain to be called—Democrats lead in five of those contests and Republicans are ahead in the other four.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-which-seats-have-flipped-in-the-house">Which Seats Have Flipped In The House?</h2>



<p>Republicans flipped a seat in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-colorado-house-evans-ea159f328a7a3b8745724bfb90ac5124" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Colorado</a>, two Pennsylvania districts (District 7 and District 8) and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-house-hertel-barrett-mcdonald-rivet-junge-83ce19c9cc64f23c6ee42fe0b3087892" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">a district in Michigan</a>. Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-call-riley-wins-new-york-u-s-house-district-718ce3a0d3914b89b2680f586290164d" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">flipped three seats</a>&nbsp;in New York (District 4, District 19 and District 22).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



<p><em>“</em>We still have a number of races outstanding, but we&#8217;re very optimistic about those and we are looking forward to governing in unified government beginning in January,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?539939-1/house-republican-agenda" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Tuesday</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-haven-t-all-the-votes-been-counted-yet">Why Haven&#8217;t All The Votes Been Counted Yet?</h2>



<p>Some states, particularly in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/us/elections/results-timing-presidential-race-calls.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">western U.S.</a>, take longer to tally ballots because of state election operations. California is known to take more time than the rest of the country to finalize its results. It’s the only state with&nbsp;<a href="https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/unprocessed-ballots-status" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">millions</a>&nbsp;of remaining ballots uncounted as of Wednesday. California’s election officials need more time because the state has by far the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/popclock/embed.php?component=populous" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">largest population</a>&nbsp;in the country. The state’s voting processes are more abundant and require more effort, such as its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/11/us/california-ballot-count-house-election.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">rule to give every registered voter a mail-in ballot</a>, which makes it easy for citizens to vote but requires more work (through hours of phone calls) to verify whether the ballot was filled out incorrectly.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>The House now holds enormous importance for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/11/06/election-2024-harris-concedes-election-says-we-must-accept-the-results/">President-elect Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;ability to legislate when he takes office after Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/11/06/republicans-win-senate-control-ending-democrats-narrow-majority/">won a majority</a>&nbsp;in the Senate on Tuesday. With the GOP winning control, it gives the party unified control of government. “We believe we can be the most consequential Congress of modern politics,” Johnson said at a Tuesday news conference. Republicans won a tight majority in the House in 2022, claiming 222 seats, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-house.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">several competitive seats</a>&nbsp;in Arizona, California, New York, Virginia and Nebraska. Democrats secured a Senate majority in 2021, later solidifying that number in 2023. The period of a divided Congress since has been marred by Republican infighting and lessened productivity—partly due to Congress’ partisan split and partly because of the GOP’s narrow majority, which allows a tiny number of lawmakers to control the fate of legislation. In October 2023, Republicans and Democrats voted for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/10/04/1203462629/kevin-mccarthy-speaker-matt-gaetz-congress-vote" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">first ouster</a>&nbsp;of the House speaker in history, driving out then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., an action led by hard-right Trump ally Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. The move was highly disruptive because of the extensive voting processes and the search for a new speaker. That year, the House also struggled to pass legislation, passing 27 bills after voting 724 times. That’s fewer bills passed than any other term since 2013, The New York Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/19/us/politics/house-republicans-laws-year.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reported</a>, citing research from the Bipartisan Policy Center. Congress narrowly avoided several government shutdowns over the past two years. With this election, Republicans were predicted to take control of the House by a slim margin of 30 seats or less, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2024-election-forecast/house/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">FiveThirtyEight</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-which-house-results-were-historic">Which House Results Were Historic?</h2>



<p>Several races made history in this election. Democrat Sarah McBride was elected to a Delaware House seat, becoming the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/delaware-house-race-election-mcbride-whalen-4a80f4a9852240a890bb820c53ef882b" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">first openly transgender Congress</a> member with the win. Republican Julie Fedorchak won North Dakota’s sole House seat, becoming the first woman elected to the House in North Dakota, and Democrat Julie Johnson became the first openly gay woman to represent Texas in the House. Democrat Yassamin Ansari <a href="https://apnews.com/projects/election-results-2024/arizona/?r=3008" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">won</a> her seat in Arizona and became the first Iranian American elected to the U.S. House.</p>


President Donald Trump Holds Election Night Event At The White House

Republicans Win Control Of The House—Giving Trump Unified Government


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The price of Bitcoin breached $82,000 for the first time ever early on Monday, continuing its post-election bull run as President-elect Donald Trump has promised to bolster the industry while several pro-crypto candidates won down-ballot races.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The world’s most valuable cryptocurrency hit an all-time high of $82,197 in early Monday trading, up more than 19.5% compared to last week.</p>



<p>Bitcoin breached the $80,000 mark for the first time on Sunday after a big weekend rally—breaking the election night high of $75,000.</p>



<p>The price of Ether—the second most valuable crypto token—has risen by an even biggest 28.7% over the past week to $3,165.</p>



<p>Other popular crypto tokens including Dogecoin, Solana’s SOL and Binance’s BNB have also surged in value in the past week—with volatile and popular meme coin DOGE’s price rising by 83%.</p>



<p>The crypto price boom has led to surge in the share price of related stocks like Coinbase—whose price has surged 50% in the past five days and is up another 15.6% in pre-market trading early on Monday to $312.92.</p>



<p>Trump is expected to usher in a new wave of crypto-friendly policies with ease after Republicans flipped control of the Senate Tuesday and are on the brink of maintaining their majority in the House.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-high-could-bitcoin-prices-by-the-end-of-this-year">How High Could Bitcoin Prices By The End Of This Year?</h2>



<p>While&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/11/04/heres-where-analysts-expect-bitcoin-prices-will-head-under-harris-and-trump/">estimates have varied</a>&nbsp;slightly, most analysts agreed a Trump win would lead to a boom in cryptocurrency prices. Bernstein analysts led by Gautam Chhugani said Bitcoin can rise to $80,000 to $90,000 over the next two months if the “pro-crypto candidate” Trump won. Last month, Standard Chartered analyst Geoff Kendrick wrote he expects Bitcoin to hit $125,000 by the end of the year in the event of a Trump win.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Trump has embraced the crypto industry as a counter to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s stricter regulatory approach under President Joe Biden, vowing to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the planet.” Trump’s pro-crypto stance marks a reverse course from his previous skepticism of the industry, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57392734" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">he called</a>&nbsp;a “scam” and a disaster waiting to happen in 2021. Trump has vowed “to keep 100% of all the bitcoin the U.S. government currently holds or acquires into the future,” he told an audience at a bitcoin conference in Nashville in July, and he has repeatedly promised to “fire” SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, who has taken more than 100 regulatory actions against crypto during his tenure, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/06/trump-claims-presidential-win-here-is-what-he-promised-the-crypto-industry-ahead-of-the-election.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">CNBC</a>. Trump earned endorsements from crypto leaders, including billionaires Marc Andreessen, Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss, while Vice President-elect, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, is a longtime bitcoin investor. Trump and his campaign have also personally invested in digital currency—Trump’s joint fundraising committee began accepting donations via Coinbase in May, and he debuted his own family&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/09/16/trump-used-to-think-crypto-was-a-scam---now-hes-launching-his-own-crypto-platform-run-by-his-sons/">cryptocurrency platform</a>, World Liberty Financial, in September.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">News Peg</h2>



<p>The crypto industry was the largest corporate donor in the 2024 election cycle, according to a report by the progressive consumer advocacy group,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.citizen.org/article/big-crypto-big-spending-2024/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Public Citizen</a>, which found donations from the industry accounted for 44% of all corporate money contributed as of August. The vast majority of the money was funneled through the super PAC Fairshake and two affiliated super PACs, Defend American Jobs, which backs Republicans, and the pro-Democrat Protect Progress. The groups—financed primarily by crypto companies Coinbase and Ripple—spent a combined $135 million supporting industry-friendly candidates in federal races, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/06/technology/crypto-industry-spending-election.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The New York Times.</a>&nbsp;The investment appears to have paid off: as of Sunday, 268 pro-crypto candidates had been elected to the House and 19 in the Senate, according to the non-profit,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.standwithcrypto.org/races" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Stand With Crypto</a>, compared to 122 newly elected House members and 12 senators it deems “anti-crypto.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>Aside from Trump, one of the biggest wins for the crypto industry came in the Ohio Senate race, where blockchain entrepreneur and GOP candidate Bernie Moreno defeated incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown. Brown served as the chair of the Senate Banking Committee and was a vocal opponent of efforts to loosen cryptocurrencies-related regulations. Coinbase CEO and co-founder Brian Armstrong reacted to the result of the Ohio Senate race by&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/brian_armstrong/status/1854029871040835614" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">tweeting</a>, “Being anti-crypto is simply bad politics.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/11/04/heres-where-analysts-expect-bitcoin-prices-will-head-under-harris-and-trump/">Here’s Where Analysts Expect Bitcoin Prices Will Head Under Harris And Trump</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/09/16/trump-used-to-think-crypto-was-a-scam---now-hes-launching-his-own-crypto-platform-run-by-his-sons/">Trump Used To Think Crypto Was A &#8216;Scam&#8217; — Now He&#8217;s Launching His Own Crypto Platform Run By His Sons</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/05/21/trump-campaign-now-accepts-crypto-donations/">Trump Campaign Now Accepts Crypto Donations</a> (Forbes)<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/"></a></p>


Key Speakers At The Bitcoin 2024 Conference

Bitcoin Crosses $82,000 For The First Time—Boosted By Trump’s Win

Donald Trump Wins Presidential Race—Again

Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump Holds Election Night Event In West Palm Beach

Election 2024 Live Updates: Trump Declares Victory—He Wins Pennsylvania And Is On Brink

US Election Results Watch Party in China

Election 2024 Live Updates: Trump Wins North Carolina—Leads In 5 Other Swing States


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Vice President Kamala Harris inched ahead of former President Donald Trump by the narrowest of margins in both polling guru Nate Silver and FiveThirtyEight’s final presidential forecasts shortly after midnight on Tuesday, although both projections showed the race for the White House remained a statistical tie on Election Day as both candidates’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/11/04/election-2024-swing-state-polls-trump-harris-race-deadlocked-on-election-eve-as-pennsylvania-still-tied-updated/">poll numbers</a>&nbsp;in key swing states remained deadlocked.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Silver released his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.natesilver.net/p/nate-silver-2024-president-election-polls-model" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">final forecast</a>&nbsp;after running 80,000 simulations of the race based on polling data and found that Harris had a 50.015% chance of winning compared to Trump’s 49.985%—effectively a tie—after a minor comeback of sorts by the Democrat who was down 44% to 55% at the start of November.</p>



<p>FiveThirtyEight also&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2024-election-forecast/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;its final forecast for the presidential race winner, giving Harris the slimmest of edges at a roughly 50% chance of winning, compared to Trump’s 49%.</p>



<p>Silver and FiveThirtyEight’s forecasts estimate the probability of either candidate winning, and are separate from polls, which estimate how much of the vote each candidate will get—but many national and swing state polls remain essentially tied, too.</p>



<p>Harris leads Trump 49%-48% with likely voters in the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/11/04/new-forbesharrisx-survey-harris-and-trump-in-near-dead-heat-1-day-before-election/">HarrisX/Forbes poll</a>, which was taken between Wednesday and Friday and has a margin of error of one point, and she’s up 50%-48% in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/harris-and-trump-are-locked-tight-race-1-day-election" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Ipsos poll</a>&nbsp;also out Monday.</p>



<p>The vice president has a larger four-point lead (51%-47%) in both a new PBS&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/harris-has-4-point-lead-over-trump-in-final-pbs-news-npr-marist-election-poll" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">News/NPR/Marist</a>&nbsp;survey and a 50,000-person poll by the&nbsp;<a href="https://sites.tufts.edu/cooperativeelectionstudy/2024/10/28/ces-estimates-on-the-2024-presidential-election/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Cooperative Election Study</a>&nbsp;taken throughout the first 25 days of October.</p>



<p>Some other recent polls show a tighter race: The vice president had a 49%-47% lead in a&nbsp;<a href="https://pro.morningconsult.com/trackers/2024-presidential-election-polling" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Morning Consult survey</a>, a 49%-46% advantage in an&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/election-stays-close-final-weekend-dispirited-electorate-poll/story?id=115278707" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">ABC/Ipsos</a>&nbsp;poll, a 49%-47% edge in an&nbsp;<a href="https://d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/econTabReport_NgtZTja.pdf#page=10" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Economist/YouGov survey</a>&nbsp;and a 50%-49% advantage in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-harris-poll-gender-gap/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">CBS/YouGov</a>&nbsp;poll last week.</p>



<p>Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/final-nbc-news-poll-harris-trump-race-neck-neck-significant-gender-gap-rcna178361" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">NBC News</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://emersoncollegepolling.com/november-2024-national-poll-trump-and-harris-remain-locked-in-tight-race/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Emerson College</a>&nbsp;polls out Sunday show the two candidates tied at 49%, and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/final-yahoo-newsyougov-election-poll-trump-pulls-even-with-harris-at-47--but-will-enthusiasm-favor-democrats-144135193.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Yahoo News/YouGov</a>&nbsp;survey also produces a 47%-47% deadlock, matching up with other recent tied polls by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/25/us/politics/poll-harris-trump-times-siena.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>/Siena College,&nbsp;<a href="https://emersoncollegepolling.com/october-2024-national-poll-trump-49-harris-49/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Emerson College</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/25/politics/cnn-poll-harris-trump/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">CNN/SSRS</a>.</p>



<p>The widely followed Times/Siena poll released late last month represented a decline in support for Harris since the newspaper’s previous poll in early October showed her with a 49%-46% lead over Trump—and the paper called the results “not encouraging” for Harris as Democrats have won the popular vote in recent elections even when they’ve lost the White House.</p>



<p>Trump is ahead 48% to 46% in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/24/presidential-election-is-a-dead-heat-though-trump-leads-harris-big-on-economy-says-cnbc-survey.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">CNBC survey</a>&nbsp;of registered voters released Oct. 24 (margin of error 3.1), and he leads 47% to 45% in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/trump-leads-harris-wsj-poll-779f8516?mod=googlenewsfeed" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;registered voter poll out Oct. 23 (margin of error 2.5)—a shift in Trump’s favor since August, when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/trump-harris-poll-august-election-2024-e6fa024e" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Harris led</a>&nbsp;47% to 45% in a Journal survey.</p>



<p>Harris erased Trump’s lead over Biden since announcing her candidacy on July 21, though her edge has decreased over the past two months, peaking at 3.7 points in late August, according to FiveThirtyEight’s&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/2024/national/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">weighted polling average.</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Important Reminder: Presidential Polls Have Frequently Been Wrong</h2>



<p>And there is a lot of speculation on how they’re wrong this year—and who that may benefit. Read all about it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephenpastis/2024/10/25/heres-how-the-presidential-polls-might-be-wrong/">in this story</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Big Number</h2>



<p>1.2 points. That’s Harris’ average lead over Trump in FiveThirtyEight’s&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/2024/national/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">polling average</a>. Meanwhile, RealClearPolitics’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/president/general/2024/trump-vs-harris" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">polling average</a>&nbsp;shows Harris up by 0.1, and Nate Silver has Harris up one point in his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.natesilver.net/p/nate-silver-2024-president-election-polls-model" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Silver Bulletin forecast</a>.</p>


Americans Go To The Polls In The 2024 Elections

Trump Vs. Harris 2024 Polls: Nate Silver’s Final Forecast Ends In A Virtual Tie As Harris Closes Gap


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>An assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump has led to increased calls for protection of presidential candidates, an investigation into the Secret Service’s rigor and pleas from leaders on both sides—including President Biden, during a Sunday Oval Office address—to abandon vicious partisan rhetoric, as many questions about the shooting remains.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Trump, 78, was shot shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday when a lone gunman fired several shots from the roof of a building outside his campaign rally, grazing the former president, killing a supporter and seriously injuring two other rally attendees before the shooter was killed by Secret Service agents.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HOW BADLY INJURED WAS DONALD TRUMP?</h2>



<p>A bullet &#8220;pierced&#8221; the top of Trump’s right ear, he said late Saturday, and photos showed the top of his ear bloodied with streaks of blood on the right side of his face. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi was quick to confirm the former president was “safe” after the shooting. Trump was taken to <a href="https://www.chiefhealthcareexecutive.com/view/donald-trump-victims-treated-at-hospitals-after-shooting-at-pa-rally" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Butler Memorial Hospital</a> for evaluation and was released before flying to New Jersey overnight. <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/possible-shots-fired-at-trump-rally-in-butler-pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donald Trump Jr.</a> shortly after the shooting said his father was &#8220;doing fine.&#8221; Trump&#8217;s former White House doctor, Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, flew to New Jersey on Sunday morning and told The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/14/us/politics/trump-chart-rally.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York Times</a> that Trump “wasn’t the least bit flustered.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHO WAS THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS, THE APPARENT SHOOTER?</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/07/14/explosive-materials-found-in-car-of-suspected-trump-shooter/">Crooks</a>, 20, was a registered Republican with no criminal history, according to The New York Times. He graduated from Bethel Park High School, about an hour from the rally site in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2022 and worked as a dietary aid for a local nursing and rehabilitation center. No motive has been identified by law enforcement officials, and President Joe Biden on Sunday asked the public to “not make assumptions.” The FBI&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/07/14/fbi-believes-trump-rally-shooter-acted-alone-what-we-know-about-thomas-matthew-crooks/">on Sunday said</a>&nbsp;Crooks is believed to have acted alone, and is treating the matter as a potential case of domestic terrorism.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHO WAS COREY COMPERATORE, THE MAN KILLED AT THE TRUMP RALLY?</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.post-gazette.com/news/crime-courts/2024/07/14/trump-rally-shooting-victim-corey-comperatore/stories/202407140134" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Comperatore</a>, a father and husband, was shot and killed at Trump&#8217;s rally Sunday. He was a 50-year-old former volunteer fire chief and father of two daughters whose family said he died while shielding his wife and daughter from the gunfire. Dawn Comperatore Schafer, Comperatore&#8217;s sister, told The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/14/us/corey-comperatore-trump-shooting-victim.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">New York Times</a>&nbsp;his family found out about his death through the news. He was remembered as a &#8220;family man&#8221; who loved to fish and was hailed by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/corey-died-a-hero-gov-shapiro-remembers-man-killed-at-trump-rally/3911570/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Gov. Josh Shapiro</a>&nbsp;of Pennsylvania, a Democrat, as &#8220;the very best of us.&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE OTHERS INJURED AT THE RALLY?</h2>



<p>The two people who were seriously injured were in critical but stable condition as of Sunday afternoon. They were identified by local police as David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township, Pennsylvania. They are being treated at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. Jackson <a href="https://x.com/RonnyJacksonTX/status/1812331180072562923" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tweeted</a> Saturday that his nephew was among those with minor injuries and told <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6357911478112" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fox News</a> a bullet grazed his nephew’s neck at the rally. Jackson said his nephew is doing well.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HOW COULD THE TRUMP SHOOTING HAVE HAPPENED?</h2>



<p>The Secret Service shot Crooks on top of a manufacturing plant north of the Butler Farm Show grounds, where the rally was held. The roof was fewer than 200 yards from where Trump was speaking, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-4e3415b1461f5acefbc8e1fadad0375b" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Associated Press&nbsp;</a>reported, and calls for an investigation into how a gunman could have gotten so close have been echoed from both sides. The Secret Service has not commented on the circumstances of the shooting&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecretSvcSpox/status/1812288378596982908" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">other than to say</a>&nbsp;it is investigating the incident. Anthony Guglielmi, spokesperson for the Secret Service, said the agency added &#8220;protective resources, technology and capabilities&#8221; to the Trump campaign ahead of the shooting. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kylemullins/2024/07/14/the-secret-service-has-access-to-more-money-than-ever/">has been called</a>&nbsp;to testify before the House Oversight Committee on July 22. The Secret Service has an operating budget of $3 billion.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT FALSE INFORMATION HAS BEEN SPREADING ONLINE?</h2>



<p>Videos were posted on TikTok, X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms Sunday of a person&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandralevine/2024/07/14/fake-videos-purporting-to-be-dead-trump-shooter-are-spreading-on-social-media/">falsely claiming</a>&nbsp;to be the Trump shooting suspect and speculating on his motives, which Biden on Sunday said are still unclear. BBC Verify, which combats misinformation online, has said the man in the videos and photos is not the shooter. Other false posts, including one said to be written by a Secret Service agent who was ordered not to fire on Crooks, have also been circulating since the shooting. There is no evidence an actual Secret Service agent penned the post. Conspiracy theories and other unverified claims spread quickly in the wake of Trump&#8217;s assassinaton attempt, including those blaming the so-called deep state for the attack.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT HAS TRUMP SAID ABOUT THE SHOOTING?</h2>



<p>Trump took to&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Truth Social</a>&nbsp;on Saturday night and again Sunday morning to thank the Secret Service for its response and express condolences to the victims and the family of the man killed. He called on his supporters to &#8220;remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness&#8221; and confirmed he would be appearing and speaking as scheduled at this week&#8217;s Republican National Convention. His latest post, which went up at around 3 p.m., said &#8220;UNITE AMERICA!&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT HAS BIDEN SAID ABOUT THE SHOOTING?</h2>



<p>The president first addressed the nation Saturday night, calling the attack “sick” and saying, “There&#8217;s no place in America for this kind of violence.” He echoed those comments&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/07/14/trump-assassination-attempt-biden-says-no-information-on-motive-calls-for-independent-investigation-into-rally-shooting-live-updates/">in a short speech</a>&nbsp;from the White House on Sunday afternoon in which he said “there is no place in America for this kind of violence or any violence for that matter. An assassination attempt is against everything we stand for as a nation… We cannot allow this to happen.” Biden ordered an independent review of the shooting to determine how it was possible for a lone gunman to fire shots at a presidential candidate. He said the results of that investigation will be released to the public. Biden addressed the nation again Sunday night and said it was time to “lower the temperature in our politics.” He spoke from the Oval Office later on Sunday and said Americans should express their opinions “at the ballot box, not with bullets,” and added there is “no place in America for this kind of violence. For any violence, ever. Period. No Exceptions.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT DOES THE TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT MEAN FOR THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION?</h2>



<p>The convention, set to start Monday in Wisconsin, is expected to proceed as scheduled. Trump on Sunday&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112786183121187515" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;he’d considered delaying his trip to Milwaukee by two days but ultimately stuck to the original schedule and left at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. Trump is expected to formally accept the Republican nomination for president at the convention and announce his vice presidential pick.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/07/14/trump-calls-for-unity-suggests-hell-speak-at-republican-convention-after-assassination-attempt/">Other speakers</a>&nbsp;for the convention include former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump Jr., South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Vance, Rubio, Scott and Burgum are considered the top contenders for Trump’s running mate pick. Biden said he’s directed the head of the Secret Service to review “all security measures” for the convention. The Democratic National Convention is scheduled for mid August.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT WILL TRUMP SAY AT THE CONVENTION</h2>



<p>Trump told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/presidential/3082180/trump-rewrites-republican-convention-speech-focus-unity-not-biden/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Washington Examiner</a>&nbsp;he has scrapped the original speech he intended to deliver at the Republican National Convention. “The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger&#8230;Had this not happened, this would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches” he told the outlet. That would have focused more on Biden and his policies. However, the former president said he now to intends to focus his speech on calling for unity. “This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together. The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago.”</p>


Donald Trump Injured During Shooting At Campaign Rally In Butler, PA

What We Know About The Attempted Assassination Of Donald Trump


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Former President Donald Trump was escorted off stage by Secret Service during an incident at a Pennsylvania rally Saturday that left him bloodied—and one rally attendee and the alleged shooter are <a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-13-2024#00000190-ae66-dc4e-ab9d-ae6e88490000" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">both dead</a>—though Trump’s campaign has said the former president is fine.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was interrupted by what were apparently gunshots sent Trump and members of the crowd ducking as the former president was surrounded and rushed off stage by several Secret Service agents.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-2161922590.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62410" style="width:730px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-2161922590.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-2161922590-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-2161922590-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Secret Service Donald Trump onstage at a rally. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


<p>Trump pumped his fist in the air multiple times while being escorted off stage before he was rushed into a vehicle.</p>



<p>Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi <a href="https://x.com/SecretSvcSpox/status/1812256378616201726" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tweeted</a> Trump is safe following the incident and that an investigation is underway, adding in a <a href="https://x.com/SecretSvcSpox/status/1812288378596982908" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">follow up statement</a> that one spectator was killed and two were critically injured.</p>



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="BREAKING NEWS: Shots Fired At Trump Rally, Former President Pumps Fist As He&#039;s Rushed Off Stage" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XL3D0h5j0Lo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p>Trump’s campaign said the former president is fine and “being checked out at a local medical facility.”</p>



<p>Trump said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112782066045321247" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Truth Social post</a>&nbsp;a bullet pierced his upper right ear and noted he knew something was wrong when “he heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.”</p>



<p>A Washington Post reporter&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/merylkornfield/status/1812263916497506711?s=46&amp;t=tLA9t1ZxaftGRgOfBId-2A" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">posted on X</a>—and The Associate Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-13-2024" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">confirmed</a>—that the local district attorney says “Trump was grazed by gunfire but is safe” but that an “audience member was killed and the shooter is dead” and another person remains in serious condition.</p>



<p>The shooter was located outside the rally and killed by the Secret Service, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-13-2024#00000190-ae84-d267-ab98-aee683c30000" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">the AP</a>, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-13-2024#00000190-aed8-dc4e-ab9d-aefe75c60000" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">noted</a>&nbsp;an AR-style rifle was recovered at the scene of the shooting by law enforcement.</p>



<p>An&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/JakeMRosen/status/1812264826498081212" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">emergency room doctor</a>&nbsp;attending the rally told a CBS News reporter he tried to save someone in the crowd who was shot in the head during the incident.</p>



<p>President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident and said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/13/statement-from-president-joe-biden-6/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;he is “grateful” to hear Trump is safe, adding, “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America.”</p>



<p>Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, considered a possible Trump running mate, seemed to direct blame for the shooting at the Biden campaign, <a href="https://x.com/JDVance1/status/1812280973628965109" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tweeting</a> the &#8220;central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trump&#8217;s attempted assassination.&#8221;</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-2161922001.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62409" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-2161922001.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-2161922001-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-2161922001-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Donald Trump is rushed offstage during a rally. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WAS IT AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON TRUMP?</h2>



<p>It certainly appears so, as Goldinger told CNN the shooter was outside the rally and “several hundred yards away.” When asked if he believed it was an assassination attempt, President Biden said prior to Goldinger’s statement, &#8220;I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts, so I want to make sure we have all the facts before I make any more comments.” According to the Associated Press, top Trump campaign adviser Chris LaCivita hinted at some larger conspiracy by writing on X, “well of course they tried too keep him off the ballot , they tried to put him in jail and now you see this …,” but then deleted his post.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement.</p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery <a href="https://t.co/ZdxkF63EqF">pic.twitter.com/ZdxkF63EqF</a></p>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1812256998588662068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Political violence is terrifying. I know.<br><br>I’m holding former President Trump, and all those affected by today’s indefensible act of violence in my heart. Political violence is un-American and is never acceptable—never.</p>&mdash; Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) <a href="https://twitter.com/GabbyGiffords/status/1812266601053405691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy. Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics.…</p>&mdash; Barack Obama (@BarackObama) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1812271849893442018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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