If you’ve ever watched WrestleMania 23, you may have heard of the Battle of the Billionaires. This historic match is a re-cap of one of the greatest matches of all time. In it, Conrad Thompson versus Jim Ross drew the biggest crowd of all time. The crowd, as it would be expected, was enraptured. But what about the other billionaires? Are they still a threat to Trump?
Donald Trump's battle of the billionaires
Unlike his usual cynical stance, Donald Trump was the only billionaire in his WrestleMania 23 match. However, his opponent opted to play the role of a villain. The billionaire-turned-hero was booed during the show’s fan appreciation night after dropping large sums of money into the crowd. It was this confrontation that prompted the ‘Battle of the Billionaires’ to begin.
Vince McMahon and Donald Trump were rivals in the WWE. Trump had more money, but McMahon was a tough competitor. Both men were fierce competitors, and their rivalry on television fueled a huge fanbase. In a WrestleMania match at WrestleMania 23, the two men met in ‘the battle of the billionaires.’ The match was refereed by Stone Cold Steve Austin, who served as the special guest referee. The match was dubbed ‘Battle of the billionaires’ due to the fact that Donald Trump had more money than McMahon, and McMahon had more ego than Trump.
Dish Network
The Battle of the Billionaires on Dish Network continues today with Charles Ergen vs. Joseph Clayton. Ergen is the co-founder and former CEO of Dish Network and EchoStar. Ergen resigned as CEO in May 2011 and was replaced by Joseph Clayton. Clayton stepped down in March 2015, and Ergen returned to lead the company. He promoted COO Erik Carlson to CEO, and remains chairman. He owns more than 46 percent of the company’s stock.
The company recently negotiated a deal to acquire Sprint from Softbank, which aims to package TV with wireless services. While Dish has received approval from the FCC to begin land-based mobile service, it does not yet own a cell phone network. However, the deal values Sprint at $25.5 billion, and Dish will pay $4.76 in cash per share and another $2.24 in Dish stock to pay for the assets.
Bloomberg
In the race for US presidency, Bloomberg faces off against Trump. He’s the sixth-richest person in the country, but his decision to run as a third party candidate disappointed many voters looking for a more thoughtful candidate. The billionaire argued that it was now or never to add the White House to his list of opulent residences. But that was before the controversy erupted. In the end, Bloomberg came out on top.
The billionaire’s enormous personal fortune gives him the cash and resources to build a strong campaign operation. He may struggle in New Hampshire and Iowa, but he’s a multi-billionaire, and his advisers outlined a plan to win those contests. Bloomberg is also running in delegate-rich California. Some Democrats have expressed doubts about his candidacy, however. Bloomberg isn’t the first billionaire to run for president, and the Democratic Party’s leaders must carefully evaluate his candidacy before making a decision.
Bezos
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates have been on the hot seat over the last few months. Both are billionaires who have created incredible companies. But there’s one man who stands out more than the others. He’s a consistent leader who preaches customer focus and long-term thinking. He’s also made a career out of leading by example. Once at the center of everything, Bezos has become a visionary who has empowered others.
In February 2020, Bezos purchased a $165 million Beverly Hills mansion. He later added another $10 million house. In October 2021, he bought a nine-acre estate on the south shore of Maui. It’s near lava fields. He also owns five apartments in the 212 Fifth Avenue building in New York City. The entire property is worth nearly $1.7 trillion.
McMahon's feud with Bezos
The feud between Vince McMahon and Bezos dates back to the year 2013. During that time, McMahon’s SpaceX venture won over Bezos’ Blue Origin, which fought for control of Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. This area has been the start of many space missions since the 1960s. The feud was not limited to WWE, however. The feud was also raging on Twitter, with a number of people voicing their dislike of Bezos on Twitter.
According to a person familiar with the matter, Jeff Bezos believes that his mistress’s brother leaked the texts that led to the tabloid publishing racy text messages between the two. The tabloid’s publication came after Bezos’ personal security team investigated a number of figures in the president’s orbit, including the brother of his mistress, Lauren Sanchez. Bezos’ security team also investigated Michael Sanchez, the brother of Bezos’ paramour. Both McMahon and Bezos have ties to Trump, including the infamous Roger Stone.
Amazon's plans for Pentagon cloud management
The recent announcement by the Pentagon that it would award the government’s largest contract for cloud computing management to Amazon raises security concerns. The Pentagon reportedly didn’t want to rely on one provider due to concerns about data breaches. Several major tech companies and even the White House have criticized the contract, and rivals have mounted an aggressive lobbying and public relations campaign against the deal. Amazon was considered a front-runner in the cloud contract competition when the Pentagon first announced it.
Although it was clear that Amazon was the favorite for the contract, Microsoft was also a contender. Amazon had recently won a lucrative cloud contract from the CIA and obtained higher federal security authorizations than its competitors. The Pentagon’s decision to choose a single provider has been politically charged, with former President Donald Trump tweeting about his personal resentments toward Amazon owner Jeff Bezos. The Pentagon’s choice of one provider over the other is the result of a highly complicated and complex process.
Bloomberg's platform
Bloomberg, one of the world’s most famous billionaires, is a self-made man. Although not born into the status, he was a partner in the investment bank Salomon Brothers when it attempted to buy it in the 1970s. The two companies eventually merged, but Bloomberg remained a partner. In 1981, Philbro wanted to buy Salomon Brothers. Bloomberg had other ideas, and he acted on them.
While Trump may seem to have the upper hand in the presidential election, the public does not react as strongly to TV debates as it does to social media. Indeed, many voters don’t even watch the debates. If Bloomberg wins the Democratic primary, he could redeem himself. He has about two months before the Democratic National Convention and another 36 weeks until the election. Despite the negative public opinion of Bloomberg, he will likely get enough votes to win.
Pritzker's ad
The race for governor in Illinois is a battle of the billionaires, with two of the state’s richest men pitted against each other. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the heir to a Hyatt hotel fortune, has used his personal wealth to run for office. But the state’s richest man, hedge fund founder Ken Griffin, is also a billionaire. With an estimated net worth of $28 billion, Griffin can spend however much he wants to push his candidate. And with the race for governor being a crowded field, both candidates are spending millions of dollars to make their campaigns stand out.
Griffin, a free-market Republican, has made his position clear on the tax increase issue. He’s been a vocal opponent of Pritzker for years and called him a liar in an ad. Griffin has also accused Pritzker of not doing enough for the city of Chicago, and he said he’d “go all in” to back a Republican opponent in the 2022 election. Griffin also attacked Pritzker’s record on Chicago crime.
Bezos' relationship with CIA
Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos has a $25 billion fortune and publicly boasts about his digital prowess. His company has become a global leader in aggregating and analyzing billions of human facts. But did you know that his company has also been awarded a $600 million contract by the CIA? It’s a scandal that has the whole Intelligence community on edge.
Several former CIA officials have questioned the relationship between the Post and the CIA. One CIA official, Ray McGovern, said that Bezos had “scared the CIA” by being associated with the company. The CIA’s own newspaper, the Washington Post, has also objected to the relationship. But the Post’s policy allows them to disclose CIA contracts, big data initiatives, and other corporate matters.
Bezos' relationship with Pentagon
Amazon is in the thick of the national security debate. But the relationship between the Pentagon and Bezos isn’t exactly a secret, either. The two sides have been at odds over whether Bezos should join the Defense Innovation Board. But the Pentagon has a $38 billion information technology budget every year. The Pentagon’s relationship with tech billionaires could have a long-term impact. But it’s difficult to tell if Bezos is right or wrong.
Some tech companies have reacted to the controversy by pulling out of government contracts. Google, for instance, pulled out of a lucrative contract with the Pentagon to use artificial intelligence and cloud computing. It’s a reversal of fortune for Alphabet, which pulled out of the Pentagon’s AI contract shortly after Google declined to renew it. But Microsoft’s decision to pull out of the contract didn’t have the same impact. Microsoft, on the other hand, won the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract with the Pentagon.
Is Donald Trump Winning the Battle of the Billionaires?
So what does the battle of the billionaires mean for the world? Is Donald Trump winning it? Who are the other billionaires? Who will get more air time? Will Bezos, Ambani, Pritzker, and more get the nod? Let’s take a closer look. The answer to these questions will help us decide which of these men or women will dominate the billionaire world. We’ll also find out if the billionaire class has a future in the U.S. and abroad.
Donald Trump wins battle of the billionaires
There’s no denying that Donald Trump has plenty of money. He’s the presumptive GOP presidential nominee and has been in the WWE Hall of Fame for hosting two WrestleMania events in Atlantic City. In 2007, he participated in “Battle of the Billionaires” and won it. However, the billionaire also has a long list of controversies, some of which will be discussed in this article.
Vince McMahon, owner of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) brand, is also a controversial man. After his controversial “Fan Appreciation Night” on Raw, The Donald dropped tens of thousands of dollars onto WWE fans. As a result, McMahon challenged Trump to a “Battle of the Billionaires” match at WrestleMania 23. The deal stipulated that the loser would have his head shaved. The winner of the match, Bobby Lashley, beats Umaga in a one-on-one match.
Bloomberg dominates airtime
As Donald Trump’s campaign continues to spend heavily on television ads, Bloomberg has made the most of the limited airtime available to him. In his latest ad, Bloomberg touts his accomplishments as a problem-solver and job creator. Though he has not yet formally announced his 2020 presidential campaign, Bloomberg has filed the necessary paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. Bloomberg purchased $30 million in airtime next week, which will appear in more than two dozen states.
Bloomberg has spent more than $11 million on a 60-second ad, far outspending Trump and Tom Steyer combined. Bloomberg’s campaign spent more than triple that of the other two major candidates in the last round of campaign financial disclosures. Nevertheless, the billionaire still faces significant risks. Bloomberg’s overall campaign is spending more than $400 million, which mirrors the massive advantage he holds in the Democratic primary.
The presidential campaign will also compete for airtime during the Super Bowl. Bloomberg will use his spot to draw attention to gun violence. Trump will focus on his economic record. In the ad, Bloomberg uses the story of a mother who lost her son in 2013 to gun violence. Bloomberg’s spot will feature a grieving mother and highlights his record against the gun lobby. This ad may seem more politically charged than it is, but it has been proven to be successful in reaching its target audience.
Bezos snubs Pritzker
Bezos snubing the son of a wealthy Illinois businessman, Pritzker is not the only billionaire in town. Pritzker’s fortune dates back to 1957. He was born in Chicago and graduated from Claremont Men’s College. He later earned a JD and MBA from the University of Chicago. The billionaire heir to the Pritzker family is currently serving as chairman of Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
A former hedge-fund employee, Bezos launched his empire in 1994 when he opened an online bookstore in his garage. He later changed its name to Amazon after the biggest river in the world. His company has already passed the trillion-dollar mark. Bezos owns 10.6 percent of Amazon. He also holds stakes in the Chicago Bulls, LA Dodgers, Brooklyn Nets, and the New York Giants.
Ambani snubs Trump
India’s richest man and US President Donald Trump recently met with Mukesh Ambani. Ambani’s conglomerate, Reliance Industries, recently launched Jio 4G phone service, which already has more than 350 million subscribers. The two men discussed ways to improve services to Indians. Ambani argued that the domestic market is huge. The US president was not impressed with Ambani’s remarks.
Ambani’s fortune soared to a new record of $49.2 billion on Wednesday, as his shares of Reliance Industries Ltd. gained more than 10 percent. He now ranks second in the battle of the billionaires, ahead of China’s Jack Ma. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index is updated every day after the close of the U.S. stock market. Meanwhile, the Chinese government has scheduled a big holiday to coincide with the Labor Day holiday. Tourism in China is expected to hit its highest level ever during this period. In fact, Ctrip has predicted that Chinese consumers will take 90 million trips over the Labor Day period this year.
Trump criticizes McMahon on Twitter
Donald Trump has criticized WWE CEO Vince McMahon on Twitter, a move that comes in the wake of the SBA’s recent budget cuts. The video appears to be doctored, but the real story is that the president was just making fun of McMahon. His comments seem to target his former colleague, who was a major benefactor of the Trump campaign.
A mock video of Donald Trump tackling a CNN logo has gone viral after Trump shared it on Twitter. The video is an altered version of a clip from a 2007 pro-wrestling event in which he “attacked” WWE head Vince McMahon. The clip was apparently posted to a pro-Trump internet forum. Several users of the video were aghast and expressed disbelief that Trump would retweet the clip.
Donald Trump took the opportunity to attack the free press, once again. He shared a video on Twitter of himself punching WWE CEO Vince McMahon, which contained the CNN logo superimposed over the man’s face. Trump regularly attacks news networks, including CNN, but so far has spared Fox News. However, he has not responded to all comments and questions about the video. It is unclear how much of a threat McMahon poses to the free press.
Ambani slams Pritzker in campaign ad
Gov. J.B. Pritzker is getting plenty of criticism from hedge fund mogul Ken Griffin for his ad in Illinois. Pritzker called Griffin a “liar,” but the hedge fund mogul didn’t back down. It was the latest attack ad from Pritzker. The Democratic candidate’s ad has been called out in several places, including the Chicago Tribune.
Rauner, meanwhile, slammed Pritzker in a campaign ad. The commercial alleged the candidate filed 22 property tax appeals and removed toilets from his luxury home. It plays ominous background music. The ad is likely to fuel the debate between Pritzker and Rauner. The two uber-rich candidates are unlikely to win the election without a battle over ethics.
The ad was widely shared on social media, but Pritzker’s campaign spent millions of dollars on social media ads. According to his Facebook page, he’s spent more than $3.6 million on ads since the start of the campaign. Of that, $271,000 of them were run without a disclaimer, while a $20,000 ad with the disclaimer “Paid for by JB for Governor” reached more than 1 million Facebook users.
