Bill Ackman Says 'Not Voting For Biden,' Slams President For Inaction On American Hostage Issue: 'Too Focused On Other Talking Points…To Get Re-elected'

Pershing Square founder Bill Ackman has in the past made no bones about his displeasure about President Joe Biden’s handling of his job and on Wednesday, he categorically ruled out voting for the incumbent.

Biden Or Trump: “For anyone who is still confused on the topic, I am not voting for Biden,” he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. When a conservative journalist prodded him as to whether he would vote for probable Republican nominee Donald Trump, he did not rule out the possibility.

“And yes, I am open to voting for [Donald Trump],” Ackman said. But he hinted that he could make his final choice closer to the election date. “I will share whom I am supporting when I make my decision closer to the election. I like to preserve optionality,” he said.

For anyone who is still confused on the topic, I am not voting for Biden.

— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) April 25, 2024

In a separate thread, replying to a social-media user’s question as to whether he has ever voted for a Republican, Ackman said he voted for Trump in 2016.

See Also: How To Invest In Startups

Hostage Issue: Separately, Ackman responded to a post regarding the White House’s briefing on Biden signing the Ukraine and Israeli aid bill into law. The hedge-fund manager slammed the president for not acting decisively on the hostages being held in Gaza.

“I have not heard @potus Biden take ownership of this issue,” Ackman said.

“I have heard him talk about calls for a ceasefire, shrinkflation, hotel fees, and four more years, but not the fact that hostages including American hostages are still being held in Gaza.”

This is evident from the president’s delegation to staff and what he speaks to the American public, Ackman said. “He has not made clear that returning the hostages is high on his priority list. He is too focused on other talking points in an attempt to get re-elected. And the media are letting him off the hook on this issue,” he added.

The hostage issue came to the centerstage on Wednesday after Hamas released a video of Israeli-American  Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was taken captive during the Oct. 7 Hamas strikes against Israel.

Ackman has in the past expressed hopes that JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon would throw in his hat in the ring and contest in the Democratic primary. He previously approved of businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who has since then dropped off the race. The fund manager was also found backing Democrat turned-independent candidate Robert Kennedy Jr.’s stance on the COVID-19 vaccine. In January, he denoted $1 million to support Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) to become the Democratic nominee in the 2024 presidential election. Phillips quit the race in early March.

Read Next: Bill Ackman Reveals First Investment Book He Read Was The Same One That Influenced Warren Buffett: ‘It Was Kind Of The Inspiration For My Career…’

Trump vs Biden illustration was generated using artificial intelligence via MidJourney.