Warren Buffett, the billionaire CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, said Wednesday he will not endorse Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump in this year's election.
Buffett has previously endorsed Democrats for president, such as Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. Instead, he is taking a neutral stance.
A statement from Berkshire Hathaway released Wednesday said that any claims of political support from him would be "fraudulent" and warned about the misuse of Buffett's likeness through artificial intelligence.
"In light of the increased usage of social media, there have been numerous fraudulent claims regarding Mr. Buffett's endorsement of investment products, as well as his endorsement and support of political candidates," the statement said. "Mr. Buffett does not currently and will not prospectively endorse investment products or endorse and support political candidates."
Buffett told CNBC on Wednesday: "I'm worried about people impersonating me and that's why we put that on the Berkshire website. Nobody should believe anybody saying I'm telling them how to invest or how to vote."
He added the statement stems partly from a fake political endorsement that appeared on Instagram.
"I don't even know how to get on Instagram," he said. "Anything they see with my image or my voice, it just ain't me."
The move comes as prominent figures such as Bill Gates and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon have quietly backed Harris, while Tesla CEO Elon Musk has thrown significant support behind Trump.
Buffett, 94, has run Berkshire Hathaway since 1956 and is worth an estimated $144.5 billion, according to Forbes.
Kate McManus ✉
Kate McManus is a New Jersey-based Newsmax writer who's spent more than two decades as a journalist.
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