In recent months, billionaire hedge fund executive Howard Lutnick has stepped into a prominent role as one of former President Donald Trump’s key allies and advisers.
Lutnick, the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, has not only rallied Wall Street donors for Trump but also frequently appeared on cable news to support the campaign. Recently appointed co-chair of Trump’s transition team, he’s now responsible for helping oversee personnel choices for a possible second administration.
Alongside support for policies on immigration, cryptocurrency, and tariffs, Lutnick, a Jewish Republican, has cited Trump’s stance on Israel as a key motivator, especially in light of the Hamas attacks on October 7. Trump’s claims that such an event “would never have happened” under his administration seem to resonate strongly with Lutnick.
Lutnick has said that witnessing Trump’s moral clarity in response to the attacks reinforced his support. As he told The Philadelphia Inquirer last month, Trump’s perspective on the crisis deeply influenced his decision to become more engaged in the reelection campaign.
The attacks appear to have made a significant impact on both Lutnick and his wife, Allison, who has traveled to Israel to meet with survivors and victims' families in solidarity.
Howard Lutnick, whose firm Cantor Fitzgerald lost 658 employees in the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, including his brother Gary, has long viewed Israel’s struggle as part of a larger fight against global terrorism.
In the wake of the October 7 Hamas attacks, the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund, originally established after 9/11, pledged additional support to Israel. The fund announced that it would match donations "dollar for dollar" up to $1 million to aid Israel's response. "Hamas is terrorism, and we are here to aid Israel,” the fund stated.
Recently, Lutnick expanded the fund’s support with a $7 million donation aimed at providing relief to those affected by the war in Israel. Part of this donation was directed to United Hatzalah, an Israeli emergency medical organization that Lutnick and his wife, Allison, have supported for years.
* The Jewish Insider contributed to this article.
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