
Reid Hoffman, the Democratic megadonor who co-founded LinkedIn, is under scrutiny for comments made about President Donald Trump. Hoffman, who sits on the boards of both Microsoft and the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Board, recently said he wished he could have made Trump “an actual martyr.” This remark, made shortly before an assassination attempt on Trump, has drawn significant backlash.
Hoffman, a former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, has long been a supporter of anti-Trump and anti-GOP causes. His controversial statement, reported by Puck, came just days before an attempted assassin shot Trump in the ear at a rally in Pennsylvania. Although Hoffman later condemned the assassination attempt, he also criticized Trump for his rhetoric about the Capitol riots. Hoffman’s political adviser, Dmitri Mehlhorn, suggested the shooting might have been staged to benefit Trump politically.
Hoffman’s comments have created headaches for Democrats, who have received substantial donations from him. His involvement with prominent organizations like Microsoft and the Pentagon has also raised questions. Hoffman sits on Microsoft’s Environmental, Social, and Public Policy Committee, which advises on regulatory risks and oversees public policy and government relations activities. At the Pentagon, he serves on the Defense Innovation Board, which advises on war-fighting technologies and innovation.
Political activists are now pressuring Microsoft to remove Hoffman from its board due to his recent remarks. The situation is further complicated by Hoffman’s history of using questionable tactics to influence political outcomes. In 2017, he funded a project that used fake social media accounts to dissuade Republican voters from participating in an Alabama Senate special election. This operation, revealed by the New York Times in 2018, led to Hoffman’s public apology.
Hoffman’s recent comments have intensified scrutiny on his roles at Microsoft and the Pentagon. Both organizations have taken stands against extremist rhetoric, making Hoffman’s remarks particularly problematic. As public pressure mounts, the future of Hoffman’s positions on these prestigious boards remains uncertain.