Big Haley Donor Explains Contributions: ‘High Probability of Waste, Small Probability of Saving the Country’
AP Photo/Abbie Parr
Clifford Asness, a Republican donor who has given a significant amount of money to Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign, said that while he acknowledges that it might be a “waste,” it was still worth it for the “small chance” Haley saves the country by denying Donald Trump the GOP presidential nomination.
Responding to Trump’s recent declaration that “Anybody that makes a ‘Contribution’ to Birdbrain [Haley], from this moment forth, will be permanently barred from the MAGA camp,” Asness wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that he “contributed early and significantly to Nikki,” but that he may have to give more to her in case his past donations haven’t already permanently separated him from Trump’s “RINO (yes they are Republicans in name only) cult.”
“Oh, and would you take $83.3 mm to bow out?” inquired Asness. “Asking for a friend.”
I contributed early and significantly to Nikki and thought I had done my job. But if past contributions don’t qualify me for being “barred” from his RINO (yes they are the republicans in name only) cult I may have to contribute more now.
Though I can’t help thinking he’s… https://t.co/Cdfs1byEIR
— Clifford Asness (@CliffordAsness) January 27, 2024
“Genuinely curious what makes someone who seemingly knows about ROI and places it into a Nikki Haley campaign,” replied one befuddled commenter. “Surely there is no return on that investment, other than to say you didn’t donate to Trumps campaign.”
“It was venture capital,” explained Asness. “High probability of waste, small probability of saving the country. I don’t think it was a zero probability.”
It was venture capital. High probability of waste, small probability of saving the country. I don’t think it was a zero probability.
— Clifford Asness (@CliffordAsness) January 27, 2024
Haley, who served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in Trump’s first administration, is the sole remaining challenger to her old boss in the GOP presidential primary.
She has raised $4 million since the New Hampshire primary last week, and has insisted that the race is just beginning despite Trump’s wins in the first two contests of the cycle.
