Trump's Unofficial Advisor: How Bill Ackman Leverages 1.8 Million Followers to Influence the White House

Sunday, April 7, 2025. Bill Ackman posted a tweet calling for a 90-day suspension of the tariff plan and directly tagged Trump. Publicly challenging the President violated Wall Street's unwritten rules, but Ackman didn't care.

Seventy-two hours earlier, Trump had announced "reciprocal tariffs" on nearly all trading partners. Global markets crashed in response as panic spread worldwide.

Then, something unexpected happened.

On Wednesday morning, Trump made a startling announcement: he would pause the tariff plan for 90 days to create space for negotiations. This "90-day suspension" concept had originated from Ackman's tweet three days earlier.

The timing sparked widespread speculation on social media about whether White House staff had seen the tweet and forwarded it to the President.

This marked another instance of Ackman's apparent ability to influence the White House from afar. Throughout the Trump presidency, the hedge fund manager with 1.8 million Twitter followers has pioneered a novel approach to political influence: wielding power without holding official positions or conducting private meetings, relying instead on substantial social media reach and strategically timed public statements.

Ackman's transformation from devoted Democratic donor to Trump's unofficial "Twitter advisor" represents a modern tale of money, power, and social media influence.

The $9 Billion "Activist"

Three numbers define Bill Ackman: 58 years old, $9 billion net worth, and 1.8 million X platform followers. These figures paint the portrait of a quintessential Wall Street success story, yet Ackman defies convention at every turn.

In 2014, during an investor presentation targeting Herbalife, Ackman delivered a scathing indictment of the health supplement company. He argued that the firm survived solely because salespeople were compelled to purchase mediocre nutrition shakes they struggled to resell to genuine customers.

Ackman branded the company a pyramid scheme exploiting vulnerable Americans. The aftermath proved brutal: Herbalife's stock climbed 25% following his presentation, and Ackman ultimately lost $1 billion on the short position.

Understanding Ackman required answering one crucial question: Does he pursue justice or self-interest?

In March 2020, while global leaders debated whether COVID-19 would trigger a pandemic, Ackman invested $27 million in credit protection to hedge against market collapse. Within a month, this strategic bet had transformed into $2.6 billion.

Simultaneously, he appeared on CNBC in an emotional plea, urging authorities to "shut down America for 30 days" while warning that hotel stocks would plummet to "zero."

Critics accused him of deliberately stoking panic to profit from short positions. Defenders argued he was fulfilling his civic duty by warning the public of imminent danger. The reality likely encompasses both perspectives.

Undeniably, he's smart. As other hedge fund managers remained focused on grinding away at their work, Ackman understood that the social media age demanded completely different tactics.

He transformed himself into finance's top influencer, constantly posting content, getting into heated arguments with online users, and even competing in professional tennis tournaments at the age of 59 (despite first-round elimination).

Some observers suggest he aspires to become "the next Warren Buffett." However, Buffett never tags presidents on social media or engages in public confrontations with Harvard's president over political matters. Ackman appears driven to win at any cost while maintaining unwavering conviction in his moral righteousness.

This fundamental contradiction serves as his secret weapon for influencing figures like Trump.

The Ravioli Dinner That Changed Everything

Until May 2024, Bill Ackman's political résumé resembled that of a typical Wall Street liberal. At charity galas on Manhattan's Upper East Side, the billionaire was a regular fixture at Democratic fundraising events.

That same month, his political transformation began in Los Angeles.

During the Milken Institute Global Conference, Ackman encountered Elon Musk. The two billionaire power users of the X platform quickly found common ground.

Days later, back in New York, Ackman dined with Donald Trump. According to Bloomberg, the main course was ravioli. While the specific conversation details remain unknown, this dinner clearly left a profound impression on Ackman.

Throughout the 2024 presidential race until then, Ackman had supported multiple anti-Trump candidates. However, after the ravioli dinner, everything changed.

In October 2024, Ackman posted a tweet featuring an interview clip titled "33 reasons to Vote for Trump."

The reasons varied widely, but one detail caught the attention of those familiar with Ackman's portfolio: the hedge fund manager had maintained long positions in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for over a decade. During Trump's first term, there was a push to privatize these two government-backed mortgage giants, but time ran out.

Ackman later tweeted his confidence that "Trump and his team will get the job done."

On July 14, following an assassination attempt on Trump, Ackman publicly voiced support for the President. By January 2025, the investor declared he no longer wanted any association with the Democratic Party.

From Democratic donor to MAGA supporter, Ackman's transformation may appear sudden, yet the signs were always present. Like many on Wall Street, the investor operates on self-interest.

Perhaps Ackman never stopped being a trader. Instead, he simply executed a new kind of deal in politics.

And that plate of ravioli may have been the opening move.

Fannie and Freddie: A Decade-Long Harvest

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government-sponsored enterprises, control nearly half of America's residential mortgage market. During the 2008 financial crisis, both entities received government bailouts and have remained under federal conservatorship ever since.

For most people, these companies represent merely a footnote in financial history. For Bill Ackman, they represent the largest wager of his lifetime.

Ackman's Pershing Square fund began accumulating shares in both companies starting in 2013, when the stock prices were below $2. His thesis was simple: these companies were fundamentally profitable, government oversight was temporary, and privatization would eventually occur. When that day arrived, stock prices would skyrocket.

That "eventually" lasted ten years.

Throughout this period, the stocks remained largely flat. Other investors exited their positions, yet Ackman continued purchasing. By 2024, he held over 115 million shares, making him one of the largest external shareholders.

On December 30, 2024, with Trump elected but not yet inaugurated, Ackman posted a strategically crafted tweet.

He directly tagged Trump and wrote:

"There is a credible path for their removal from conservatorship in the relative short term, that is, in the next two years. "

Ackman crafted his messaging carefully, avoiding mention of personal interests while emphasizing national benefits.

"This will generate more than $300 billion of additional profits to the Federal government, while removing $8 trillion of liabilities from our government's balance sheet. "

The most strategic line: "Trump likes big deals and this would be the biggest deal in history. I am confident he will get it done. "

This tweet garnered nearly 3 million views. Wall Street analysts began reassessing the stocks.

In February 2025, signals emerged.

During confirmation hearings, newly appointed Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner stated that assisting with privatization was his "priority." Upon this announcement, both stocks rose immediately. Over the past 12 months, shares in both companies have increased more than sixfold.

Ackman believes his decade-long wait is nearing its end.

He recalled a piece of advice that shaped his early career: "You don't need to be old to be right." He first heard it at the age of 25 from Richard Rainwater, an important but unofficial mentor. Patience represents the most crucial quality for investors, especially when they know they are right, and this philosophy was the best way to describe his decade-long Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac holdings.

The Tariff Turmoil: When a Mega-Donor Drew the Line

As mentioned at the outset, a single tweet helped shift the direction of U.S. trade policy.

When Bill Ackman warned that Trump's tariff plan could trigger a global economic war, he was making a high-stakes gamble. After all, this was the same donor who, just three months earlier, had publicly listed 33 reasons why he supported Trump. Now he was voicing opposition to the very policies of the man he had backed.

Was this betrayal, or clarity?

Only months before, Ackman had praised Trump's economic foresight. Now he was publicly dissenting, tweeting his hope for a 90-day tariff delay. The risks were obvious: he could lose influence within the White House, and his carefully orchestrated plan for Fannie and Freddie privatization might collapse.

Ackman made the right call.

He accurately read Trump's psychology. This President valued stock market performance and public opinion above all else. However, Trump needed a dignified exit strategy that would not appear as surrender to pressure.

The brilliance of the "90-day pause" proposal lay in its dual function: it provided Trump with a graceful retreat, allowing him to frame the delay as enabling "better negotiations," while giving markets the reassurance they needed that tariff shocks would not be immediate.

That same day, Trump announced the 90-day tariff delay. U.S. markets posted their largest single-day gain in 16 years. The S&P 500 surged 4.2%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average soared more than 1,200 points.

Ackman maintained a low profile regarding his victory. He simply posted: "A wise decision. America needs trade, but it must be fair trade."

This tariff controversy lasted an entire week, but what it revealed will endure much longer.

In the Trump era, major donors are no longer silent check writers. They have become vocal partners and, when necessary, vocal critics. And when opposition voices grow loud enough and unified enough, even Trump must listen.

Governing by Tweet: A New Kind of Political Influence

Bill Ackman approaches politics with straightforward simplicity: he tweets and tags the President.

Each time, traditional channels are bypassed entirely. No lobbyists are hired, no private dinners arranged, no formal meeting requests submitted. He simply tweets to his 1.8 million followers, trusting his message will reach the White House.

This approach may not be coincidental. Ackman understands Trump's media consumption patterns intimately.

According to multiple former White House officials, Trump's morning routine begins with browsing the X platform to see who is discussing him and what they are saying. The President pays particular attention to accounts with large followings, especially those that have previously shown support.

When these same voices publicly criticize a policy, Trump takes notice.

Ackman's Twitter strategy appears carefully orchestrated. Posts typically arrive late at night or during weekends, the tone remains sharp yet avoids complete confrontation, and tags consistently reference the President.

This represents the opposite of traditional business-politics interaction, which occurs behind closed doors through private club dinners, golf course negotiations, and messages delivered via intermediaries. The public never witnesses how policies are shaped, who influences whom, or at what cost.

Ackman's model operates in complete reverse. Every lobbying effort becomes public, every argument faces public scrutiny.

When he advocates for Fannie and Freddie privatization, everyone can observe his holdings and potential benefits. When he opposes tariffs, his reasoning and logic remain exposed for all to evaluate.

This represents an unconventional form of honesty, an approach that proves remarkably logical: rather than concealing his interests, Ackman transforms them into supporting evidence. Since he has stakes in the outcome, he cares more deeply than anyone about the policy's consequences.

This may represent the paradox of "governing by tweet": it makes influence operations more transparent, yet this transparency itself might constitute another form of manipulation. When billionaires can amplify their voices through follower counts, what does democracy mean?

The Trump era did not invent donor politics, but it transformed the rules of engagement. In this new game, Bill Ackman currently holds the lead.

The Perfectly Timed Crypto Conversion

On March 9, 2024, as Bitcoin surged toward an all-time high near $70,000, Bill Ackman posted a casual remark: "Maybe I should buy some Bitcoin."

In fact, Ackman's stance on cryptocurrency has always been nuanced. In 2022, following the FTX collapse, he revealed small positions in several crypto projects and seven crypto venture funds, representing less than 2% of his total assets. He described these investments as "more like a hobby, a way to learn."

What deserves attention, however, is the timing.

Ackman's Bitcoin tweet came after Trump explicitly endorsed cryptocurrency. Trump had promised to make America the "global capital of crypto" and opposed central bank digital currencies. These positions aligned perfectly with Ackman's free-market philosophy.

Beyond crypto, Ackman has recently been vocal about artificial intelligence. He's made undisclosed investments in several AI startups. While the names remain confidential, it's notable that these frontier sectors (crypto and AI) mirror the Trump administration's stated priorities. Vice President J.D. Vance is a known tech advocate, and several Silicon Valley figures have entered government roles.

Ackman's positioning appears to represent both commercial judgment and political alignment.

Looking back, he consistently identifies the intersection of money and power. Where will the next battlefield emerge? It could be cryptocurrency regulation, or perhaps AI policy.

One thing remains certain: when that battlefield appears, Bill Ackman will be there, accompanied by his 1.8 million followers and his influence over Trump.