Paul Graham, the man behind the well-known startup accelerator Y Combinator, has called on American voters to reject Donald Trump at the polls next week.
The former president seems to be gaining momentum leading up to Tuesday, with betting markets like Polymarket and Kalshi predicting a significant victory in the electoral college due to a potential sweep of key battleground states in the U.S. Shares in Trump Media and Technology Group have surged back to their March 2024 highs as meme stock traders anticipate a defeat of his opponent, Kamala Harris.
Graham argued on Tuesday that the election ultimately boils down to character, stating that Trump is clearly unfit to serve as president and commander-in-chief, not just because of his efforts to overturn the 2020 election on January 6, 2021. According to Graham, Trump repeatedly demonstrated during his time in office that he lacked the understanding required to effectively lead the country.
“He ran the White House like a mob boss, prioritizing loyalty over ability in his choice of subordinates. Those who worked for him know this better than anyone,” wrote Graham, who recently sparked controversy with an essay praising companies that operate in “founder mode.”
Half of Trump’s former cabinet appointees have distanced themselves from their former boss. Former advisors like John Kelly, Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, and Mark Milley, former chairman of the joint chiefs, have both criticized the real estate mogul as a textbook fascist. Mark Esper, Trump’s defense secretary, labeled him as “unfit for office,” while his former attorney general, Bill Barr, described him as a “consummate narcissist” who consistently prioritized his own interests over those of the country.
“Nearly half of the cabinet-level appointees from his previous administration have refused to endorse him,” Graham added. “They are warning us about what he is like.”
Despite Graham’s stance, Trump is unlikely to be bothered as he has garnered vocal support from tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, the wealthiest individual on the planet. Musk has played a significant role in the election by organizing voter mobilization efforts, financing Trump’s campaign, and contributing to policy proposals. A Wall Street Journal investigation revealed that Musk is distributing content on social media platforms to rally support for Trump.
The Silicon Valley tech industry has played a highly visible role in this election, overshadowing the usual involvement of Hollywood celebrities in campaign PR strategies. The “PayPal mafia,” including Musk, David Sacks, and Peter Thiel, who all worked together at the digital payments startup, have attracted attention. Other tech startup figures like venture capitalist Marc Andreessen have also supported Trump, expressing concerns that Democrats are aligned with Big Tech companies more interested in stifling innovation than fostering it.
Graham, whose Y Combinator has nurtured successful startups like AirBnB, Coinbase, and Stripe, believes Trump disqualified himself by pressuring Mike Pence to abuse his ceremonial function in an attempt to overturn the election on January 6. When Pence refused to comply, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, causing chaos.
“Attempting to cling to power after losing an election is behavior characteristic of a banana republic,” Graham noted, emphasizing the importance of gracefully conceding defeat in a healthy democracy. He has positioned himself as a moderate by endorsing Kamala Harris, albeit with lukewarm support, as she is viewed as a preferable alternative to Trump.
In conclusion, Graham stated, “Harris is a typical politician. But Trump is a crook. You cannot have someone like that as president.”