Citadel's Griffin wants to know Trump's running mate before deciding to donate

[May 15, 2024]  LONDON (Reuters) - Billionaire investor Kenneth Griffin has not donated money to President Donald Trump's election campaign but will wait to see who the former U.S. leader picks as his running mate, he told attendees at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on Tuesday.  

Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 14, 2024 in New York City, U.S. Michael M. Santiago/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

When asked if he had donated to Trump's campaign, he said, "I have not," adding, "I'm going to see who he (Trump) picks for his VP candidate."

"If President Trump returns to the White House you'll see a global perception of a stronger America," said Griffin, who is the CEO and founder of the $61 billion hedge fund Citadel.

"America does not exude credibility or strength in its actions around the world today," added Griffin.

He expected that Trump would not abandon efforts in Ukraine if elected, but added one could never be certain about Trump's response.

Griffin added he did not think that Trump would have a regulatory overreach in financial markets.

He said President Joe Biden did not understand "you need to break the back of inflation", referring to the surge in consumer prices in recent years.

(Reporting by Nell Mackenzie; editing by Dhara Ranasinghe, Alexandra Hudson and Sharon Singleton)

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