Tech investor Thiel to donate $1.25 million to Trump campaign

[October 17, 2016]    By Malathi Nayak
 
 NEW YORK (Reuters) - Silicon Valley heavyweight Peter Thiel will give $1.25 million as his first donation in support of Donald Trump's campaign after endorsing the U.S. Republican presidential candidate earlier this year, a spokesman for the investor said on Sunday.

Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel speaks at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. July 21, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Segar

The donation will be made through a combination of political action committee donations and money directly to the campaign, the spokesman said. So far, billionaire Thiel has been the most prominent supporter of Trump from the country's technology hub.

The New York Times first reported news of Thiel's donation.

A co-founder of PayPal and an early investor in Facebook Inc who sits on that company's board of directors, Thiel offered a full endorsement of Trump while speaking at the Republic National Convention in July.

Thiel has not made any donations to the campaign of Trump's opponent in the Nov. 8 election, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, the spokesman said.

(Reporting by Malathi Nayak; Editing by Alan Crosby)

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