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Business Insiderabout 3 hours ago
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Warren Buffett should direct some of his giving to Trump Accounts, the program's architect says

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Brad Gerstner, architect of Trump Accounts, suggests Warren Buffett donate some of his $150 billion fortune to the program. Buffett has not commented but the accounts align with his investing principles.

Warren Buffett should direct some of his giving to Trump Accounts, the program's architect says

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The Big Picture
Brad Gerstner, founder of Altimeter Capital and architect of the Trump Accounts initiative, publicly urged Warren Buffett to donate some of his nearly $150 billion Berkshire Hathaway fortune to the program. Trump Accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts for children under 18, offering a $1,000 federal deposit for those born between 2025 and 2028, with additional contributions allowed up to $5,000 annually. The funds can be invested in low-cost US equity funds or ETFs, converting to a traditional IRA at age 18. Gerstner proposed a 'Buffett dividend' of Berkshire shares to seed accounts for 70 million American children. Buffett has not responded, but the program's focus on early, low-cost, long-term investing mirrors his core philosophy. Buffett announced plans to donate all his Berkshire stock to family foundations by 2034, having already given away over half since 2006.
Why It Matters
If Warren Buffett directs some of his $150 billion fortune to Trump Accounts, it could supercharge a new savings program that gives millions of American children a tax-advantaged start in investing. This would align with Buffett's lifelong advocacy for early, low-cost index fund investing and could create a lasting legacy by seeding the next generation of American capitalism.

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Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett is the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

  • Warren Buffett wants to donate almost his entire $150 billion fortune to good causes by 2034.
  • Brad Gerstner, the architect of Trump Accounts, says Buffett should give some to the program.
  • Buffett is yet to comment on a "Buffett dividend," but Trump Accounts follow his investing advice.

Warren Buffett wants to give away virtually all of his nearly $150 billion fortune within the next nine years. He should donate some of that money to Trump Accounts, Brad Gerstner says.

"Buffett is the greatest investor of all time - synonymous w the American Dream," Gerstner, Altimeter Capital's founder and CEO and the architect of the Trump Accounts initiative, said in an X post this week.

"So as he considers donating all of his Berkshire shares by 2034 - along w Howard, Susie & Peter - there could be no more fitting legacy on this 250th anniversary of America than sponsoring a Buffett dividend of Berkshire shares directly to 70 M American kids accounts to seed the next 250 yrs of American capitalism."

Gerstner added that he and tech billionaire Michael Dell "look forward to sharing our pitch."

Buffett is the greatest investor of all time - synonymous w the American Dream. He inspired me to start Invest America | @TrumpAccounts. So as he considers donating all of his Berkshire shares by 2034 - along w Howard, Susie & Peter - there could be no more fitting legacy on… pic.twitter.com/2LYTqaQGco

— Brad Gerstner (@altcap) July 14, 2026

Trump Accounts, launched this month, are tax-advantaged savings accounts for under-18s with a Social Security number. Children born between 2025 and 2028 can receive a one-time $1,000 federal deposit.

Their families, employers, and others can then contribute up to $5,000 per year. Money in the accounts can be invested in low-cost US equity funds or exchange-traded funds. When the child turns 18, the account converts into a traditional IRA.

Buffett hasn't commented on Trump Accounts or the possibility of a "Buffett dividend," but he has long championed investing as early as possible in a low-fee, broad-market index fund, then holding for the long run as the most reliable way to build wealth over a lifetime.

Lawrence Cunningham, the author of "The Essays of Warren Buffett" and the director of the University of Delaware's Weinberg Center, told Business Insider last summer that the investing logic behind Trump Accounts aligned with Buffett's core principles.

"Buffett would likely agree that giving more Americans a long-term stake in the market — especially through low-cost vehicles like the S&P 500 — is both financially sound and socially beneficial," Cunningham said.

The Berkshire Hathaway chairman bought his first share at age 11 and turns 96 in August, meaning he's been investing in the stock market for roughly 85 years. Compounding his wealth over such a long period has helped make him one of the 10 richest people on the planet.

Buffett announced this week that he wants to donate all of his Berkshire stock — which makes up more than 99% of his net worth — to four of his family's foundations within about eight years, and have his three children distribute it all to good causes by the end of 2034.

He's given away more than half of his Berkshire stock since 2006. The Gates Foundation received the lion's share of those annual gifts, but it was left off the recipient list this year.

Buffett explained in a rare televised interview on Wednesday that he now believes his kids — Susan, Howard, and Peter — are ready to dispense his Berkshire fortune.

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Warren Buffett should direct some of his giving to Trump Accounts, the program's architect says | TechCulture