The billionaire founder of Home Depot and the nonpartisan Job Creators Network announced his support for former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race.
Bernie Marcus, 94, wrote in a RealClearPolitics opinion column that he supports Trump because "he is the best person to take on and dismantle the administrative state that is strangling America."
"We cannot let the America we see today be what we leave to our children and grandchildren," Marcus wrote in the Thursday column. "Many of our once-great cities have devolved into lawlessness with random violent attacks on innocent people, rampant looting, and large-scale homeless encampments. There are rarely consequences for the wrongdoers because George Soros-elected prosecutors across America refuse to prosecute them.
"Moreover, our southern border is unprotected, and millions of people we know nothing about pour into our nation to receive care and benefits that we cannot afford to provide to our struggling military veterans. Worse, many of the border crossers may be gang members who commit violent crimes here.
"Schoolchildren across America cannot read, write, or do basic math, while our educational leaders tell us that they know better than parents how to raise our children. Working men and women are struggling to provide for their families and must raid their retirement funds just to feed, clothe, and take care of their children. These are just a few of the problems America is facing after three years of bad government policies. They cannot be our legacy."
Besides those internal national issues under President Joe Biden, Marcus said Israel's war against the Hamas terrorists is another reason to back Trump.
"Many, including myself, believe that Hamas would not have unleashed its barbarism and cruelty on Israel if Donald Trump was our president today. The reason is America's enemies respect and, more importantly, fear Donald Trump's judgment, strength, decisiveness, and courage."
Marcus, who for decades has been influential in politics and philanthropy, pleaded with Republicans to focus on attacking Biden instead of each other, Just the News reported.
"Let's face it: Donald Trump is going to win the nomination. You should be doing all you can to ensure his winning the general election," Marcus wrote.
Although he admitted frustration with Trump's style, he called for voters to unify around Trump "to save The American Dream for future generations."
Marcus' endorsement of Trump came less than a week after the New York Post said Marcus was "struggling" with Trump's behavior in social media and on Jan. 6, 2021.
"I think [Trump] has the policies if he would just follow the script and do what he has to do," Marcus told the Post.