Billionaire investor Ken Griffin runs one of the world’s most successful hedge funds. He founded Citadel Advisors and is known for his open-minded approach to diverse asset classes. His quantitative investing strategies have helped Citadel generate more than $74 billion (£53.9 billion) in gains since its inception in 1990.
During a recent conference in Florida organised by The Wall Street Journal, Griffin criticised members of the Trump administration for enriching their families. The comment represented a rare rebuke from the major Republican donor.
‘This administration has definitely made missteps in choosing decisions or courses that have been very, very enriching to the families of those in the administration,’ he said. ‘That calls into question: is the public interest being served?’
The hedge fund manager added that the financial benefits flowing to the administration’s family members troubled him. ‘One of the things you want to believe is that those who serve the public interest have the public interest at heart in everything they do,’ Griffin stated.
Griffin has donated millions of dollars to Republican political groups during the latest presidential election, according to OpenSecrets. However, he did not endorse US President Donald Trump and has emerged as a vocal critic of the administration, particularly over policy issues. Griffin previously warned that the president’s tariff policies could place the US ‘on a slippery slope to crony capitalism’.
In response to Griffin’s comments, White House spokesman Kush Desai said the administration’s decision-making was in the best interest of the American people, citing the historic stock market rally, wage growth and cooling inflation.
Trump Family’s $6.8B Wealth Surge Tied to Crypto
Trump’s financial holdings have changed significantly since he was sworn in for his second term. As of January 2025, he owned a social media firm, a cryptocurrency platform and even a memecoin bearing his name. Over the past year, crypto investments and related projects boosted the family’s wealth by approximately $1.4 billion (£1 billion).
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the Trump family’s net worth stood at around $6.8 billion (£4.9 billion). Companies backed by the family also secured contracts from government agencies and benefited from the administration’s easing of policies on crypto and prediction markets. Media outlets have reported that the families of other administration members, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US envoy Steve Witkoff, have similarly profited from the crypto boom.
Trump’s crypto-friendly laws, the appointment of regulators who settled multiple lawsuits against the industry, and his pledge to make America the global crypto capital may have been in response to earlier debanking issues faced by the family. Trump’s sons have publicly accused JPMorgan of severing ties with the Trump Organisation and other family businesses out of political bias.
Griffin’s Political Ambitions
Griffin hinted that he has thought about running for office, adding that ‘in a future point in my life I would like to be involved in public service’. However, he did not share when that might be.
Note that the investor was not critical of the administration’s entire policy framework. He even claimed that Trump’s selection of Kevin Warsh as the US Federal Reserve chair indicated the central bank would retain its independence.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
