Peter Thiel, a notable Republican philanthropist endowed with considerable financial resources, voiced his annoyance regarding the presidency of departing Donald Trump. He lamented that the administration had failed to meet even his most basic expectations.
During an interview with Barton Gellman of The Atlantic, Thiel opined that supporting Trump with a ballot would be tantamount to expressing distress in an unarticulated manner, with the intention of bringing about constructive transformations within the country. Nevertheless, Thiel ultimately encountered feelings of disillusionment and disenchantment due to the failure to fulfill his expectations.
“There are a lot of things I got wrong,” Thiel told Gellman. “It was crazier than I thought. It was more dangerous than I thought. They couldn’t get the most basic pieces of the government to work. So that was—I think that part was maybe worse than even my low expectations.”
Thiel, a notable advocate for Trump throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, revealed that Trump had reached out to him to convey his discontent and disappointment. In his communication, Trump conveyed a sense of melancholy and had expected a heightened degree of financial backing from Thiel for the ongoing election cycle; however, Thiel declined this request.
Gellman stated that Thiel became aware months later that Blake Masters, Blake Trump’s associate, had been contacted to dissuade Thiel from re-running for the Senate and that Trump had referred to him as a “fucking scumbag.” Additionally, Thiel declared that he would soon cease making contributions to Republican politicians.
Thiel told Gellman, “There’s always a chance I might change my mind. But by talking to you, it makes it hard for me to change my mind. My husband doesn’t want me to give them any more money, and he’s right. I know they’re going to be pestering me like crazy. And by talking to you, it’s going to lock me out of the cycle for 2024.”
Thiel further expressed disapproval of Trump’s efforts to nullify the results of the 2020 election, deeming them impracticable. Thiel, according to Gellman, conveyed his dissatisfaction regarding Trump’s failure to materialize as the expected transformative figure; nevertheless, he pledged not to adopt a retroactive oppositional position toward Trump, a position commonly referred to as a “Never Trumper.”
As per an April report, Thiel is rumored to have decided against extending financial assistance to any candidates in 2024 on account of his diminishing political enthusiasm and the protracted cultural dispute.
However, in May, Thiel officially expressed his support for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, stating that DeSantis embodies the essential attributes required for success in the presidency.