Buffett said he is worried that someone is impersonating him online, and he himself doesn't even know how to log in to Instagram. No one should believe him when he tells everyone how to invest or how to vote in the election
As the November 5th U.S. presidential election approaches, "Stock God" Buffett is getting anxious. He has issued a warning against the increasing number of online users using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to impersonate him and publicly support either Trump or Harris, in order to avoid being exploited by these campaigners and to stop the spread of false statements about which presidential candidate he supports.
On Wednesday, October 23rd, Eastern Time, Berkshire Hathaway, led by Buffett, issued a statement on its official website clarifying fraudulent claims regarding Buffett's support for investment products and political candidates, explicitly stating that Buffett will not endorse any candidate participating in political campaigns. The statement reads,
"As more and more people use social media, there is a proliferation of fraudulent claims about Mr. Buffett endorsing investment products and supporting political candidates. Mr. Buffett is currently not endorsing any investment products, nor will he endorse or support any political candidates."
On the same day, Buffett also explained to CNBC why the above statement was posted on the Berkshire website, expressing concern about the online impersonation of him. Buffett said,
"I am worried that someone is impersonating me, so we put this information on the Berkshire website. No one should believe me when I tell them how to invest or how to vote in the election."
Buffett also mentioned that he wouldn't even know how to log in to Instagram, implying that he would not use popular social media platforms to make statements. He stated,
"I don't even know how to log in to Instagram. If people see my image or hear my voice, it's not from me."
In the past, Buffett has supported Democratic presidential candidates, including former President Obama and Hillary, who lost to Trump in the election. However, during this election period, Buffett has not publicly expressed support for any candidate. Some big names on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley have taken a clear stance on which candidate they support.
For example, Tesla CEO Musk and hedge fund giant Ackman both support Trump, while prominent investor Mark Cuban supports Harris.
On Tuesday, the New York Times also reported that Bill Gates, a longtime friend of Buffett and former Berkshire director, privately supports Harris. Three sources revealed that Gates recently donated about $50 million to the non-profit organization Future Forward, which supports Harris.
The donation was kept secret, and Gates has not publicly endorsed the current U.S. Vice President Harris. Given Gates' long-standing distance from political campaign donations, this donation represents a significant shift in Gates' strategy Bill Gates did not explicitly explain the donation issue in his response statement, nor did he express support for Harris. Instead, he emphasized his attitude towards working with both parties, while stating "this election is different."
"I support candidates who are committed to improving healthcare in the United States and around the world, reducing poverty, and addressing climate change. I have worked with leaders from various political parties for a long time, but this election is different and holds unprecedented significance for the most vulnerable people in the United States and around the world."