After months of press curiosity and public speculation, major GOP donor and philanthropist Sheldon Adelson has made himself clear. The billionaire has endorsed Donald Trump in his bid for the White House.
“Republicans must join together to make sure he wins. While the primary cycle still has some important elections ahead, it is clear that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee for president. I am endorsing Trump’s bid for president and strongly encourage my fellow Republicans — especially our Republican elected officials, party loyalists and operatives, and those who provide important financial backing — to do the same,” Mr. Adelson wrote in an op-ed published Friday in The Washington Post.
“The alternative to Trump being sworn in as the nation’s 45th president is frightening,” he continued, adding, “As Republicans, we know that getting a person in the White House with an ’R’ behind his name is the only way things will get better. … If Republicans do not come together in support of Trump, President Obama will essentially be granted something the Constitution does not allow — a third term in the name of Hillary Clinton.”
Mr. Adelson, who serves on the board of the Republican Jewish Coalition, is a serious GOP donor who ultimately gave a reported $120 million to the Republican cause during the 2012 election. The clarity of his endorsement could mitigate doubt about Mr. Trump among Jewish voters, who were leery of the candidate six months ago when he suggested he might stay “neutral” in the ongoing strife between Israel and Palestine.
By February, Mr. Adelson was “warming” to Mr. Trump, praising his business prowess as a CEO. He repeated those praises in his editorial.
“You may not like Trump’s style or what he says on Twitter, but this country needs strong executive leadership more today than at almost any point in its history,” Mr. Adelson advised. “The world is less secure than ever, and our allies have lost confidence in our ability to lead.”
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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