Billionaire hedge fund manager John Paulson says he will take his money out of the stock market if Kamala Harris is elected president, the New York Post reports.
Paulson would move his investments into cash and gold because of the Democrat presidential candidate’s proposal to tax unrealized capital gains by 25%, dole out $1.7 trillion in government subsidies, and impose price controls on grocery items.
“If Harris is elected, I would pull my money from the market,” said Paulson, a big donor to Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump.
“I’d go into cash, and I’d go into gold because I think the uncertainty regarding the plans they outlined would create a lot of uncertainty in the markets and likely lower markets,” Paulson said.
The future of the U.S. stock market and economy “very much depends on who is in the White House and who controls Congress,” Paulson continued. “I’d be very concerned if Harris is elected and pursues the tax plans and other economic plans that she articulated.
“If they do implement a 25% tax on unrealized gains, that would cause mass selling of almost everything — stocks, bonds, homes, art. I think it would cause a crash in the markets and a pretty quick recession.”
Paulson said he hopes the middle class appreciates the strong economy Trump built as president when they go to the polls.
“I think the middle class is key for this election,” Paulson said. “Who’s gonna do better for the middle class? When you look at the facts, the Trump policy had come out better for the average American. Under his administration of the four years, average real wages grew about 6.5%.
“Under Biden, because of the high inflation, real wages have declined from where they were when he started. That’s why so many middle [class] Americans are having so many difficulties with common expenses like rent and food.”
Paulson pointed out that Trump has promised to reduce the U.S. $36 trillion deficit, reduce inflation further and bring down interest rates.
Harris has promised to give first-time homebuyers $25,000 in federal down payment assistance and give middle- and lower-class families a $6,000 tax credit for having a child.