Don Emmert | AFP | Getty Images Billionaire and philanthropist Ronald Lauder will not help fund Donald Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign, his spokesman told CNBC on Wednesday. Lauder, heir to the Estée Lauder fortune, is the latest Republican mega-donor to distance himself from Trump as the former president launches a third bid for the White House. Lauder contributed nearly $100,000 to the Republican National Committee in 2019, when the political organization was helping Trump win re-election, according to the nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog OpenSecrets. Lauder has known Trump since college and the two have been close for years. Lauder reportedly spoke to Trump while he was president about the idea of the US buying Greenland. Lauder joins Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, Citadel CEO Ken Griffin and wealthy businessman Andy Sabin who have said they will not support Trump’s new presidential campaign. Although his spokesman did not say who Lauder will support in 2024, Florida campaign finance records show the billionaire businessman donated $10,000 last year to a political action committee that supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSandis’ successful re-election campaign. Lauder gave an additional $200,000 to DeSantis’ 2018 gubernatorial bid, according to OpenSecrets. Although DeSantis has not officially launched a bid for the White House, he has emerged as the party’s front-runner after winning re-election in Florida on Nov. 8 by nearly 20 percentage points. He also did not rule out challenging Trump in the Republican primary. Lauder has been a past donor to Republican-led efforts in New York. State records show he gave millions of dollars during the 2022 election cycle to support the failed gubernatorial bid of Rep. Lee Zeldin, RN.Y. Zeldin lost that race to New York Gov. Kathy Hotchul. Trump endorsed Zeldin for Election Day.
