Billionaire Home Depot co-founder and noted philanthropist Bernie Marcus — forever a feisty fella even at the youthful age of 90 —has no plans to run from his fresh batch of social media trolls.
Marcus has been under fire all week after telling the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he supported President Donald Trump’s election bid. The now frequent Fox News commentator didn’t stop there, however. Marcus told his hometown digital paper that he plans to support Trump’s re-election bid. The president deserves kudos for a strong jobs market, pushing back on China on trade and taking action against Iran, according to Marcus.
Obviously, that hasn’t sat well with the anti-Trump crowd. Said legion has since taken to Twitter calling for a boycott of Home Depot (HD). The home improvement retailer has tried to distance itself from Marcus, noting he hasn’t been with the company for nearly 20 years.
After several Facebook posts this week on the issue, Marcus dropped the hammer on his critics on Wednesday. Here is what he wrote in a new Facebook post:
“I woke up this morning thinking it was going to be another great day. I've been celebrating with friends, family and the community since I turned 90. I've told you about the gracious gift of $117 million that was collected and given in my honor to four charities that mean a lot to me. All that happiness blew up because I said in a newspaper interview that I have supported and will continue to support Donald Trump.
Boom!
Negative stories... vicious threats, without cause, to boycott the company that has enabled my foundation to give billions to support autism, medical research, education, heart and neurological issues like stroke, and to help our veterans. The company that I retired from in 2002 and have not had a business relationship with in almost 20 years. A company that has employed more than a half-million people. The people who work there are affiliated with both political parties or no party at all. They are of all religions and all colors and backgrounds. Why would people want to hurt them?
All because I give my voice and some of my money to our President. Am I in China? Argentina? Russia? That's what it feels like to me.
It saddens me that our country has come to this, where I, as a private citizen, cannot express my feelings. It angers me and it saddens me, but it sure as hell is not going to stop me. If you thought it would, you've got the wrong guy.
In the next ten years, God willing, I will accomplish more to save this world than my critics will do even if they had forty lifetimes.”
We aren’t sure what other 90-year-olds are having a similar week to Marcus’. But, it’s not hard to see what drove his success — he doesn’t take any BS.
Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large and co-host of ‘The First Trade’ at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @BrianSozzi
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