The evening of August 2nd was marked by a lavish dinner at the Bridgehampton, New York residence of Howard Lutnick, the chief executive of Cantor Fitzgerald. This exclusive gathering attracted approximately 130 distinguished guests, including some of the wealthiest supporters of Donald Trump.
Among the notable attendees was Bill Ackman, a billionaire hedge-fund financier, who found himself seated next to the former president. Another prominent figure was Omeed Malik, the president of 1789 Capital, who also engaged in discussions throughout the evening. Many guests were hopeful that Mr. Trump would use the occasion to indicate a shift in strategy following a series of missteps that had raised concerns among his supporters.
However, as the evening unfolded, Mr. Trump did not provide the reassurances some were seeking. During a small round-table discussion held prior to the dinner, he responded to a question regarding the looming 2024 election by declaring, “We’ve got to stop the steal,” once again resurrecting his unfounded claims about the 2020 election results. This assertion has been met with criticism from his advisers, who have cautioned that such rhetoric fails to resonate with swing voters.
Further adding to the controversy, Mr. Trump referenced a contentious remark he made just two days prior at a gathering of the National Association of Black Journalists. At that event, he had questioned Vice President Kamala Harris’s racial identity, a statement that many viewed as blatant race-baiting. This incident not only drew sharp criticism but also dominated the headlines across major news networks.
Despite the backlash, Mr. Trump showed no signs of remorse during the dinner. “I think I was right,” he asserted confidently to the visibly unsettled donors that Friday night, reaffirming his controversial stance without hesitation.
