Home Depot Shoppers Threaten Boycott Over Co-Founder’s Support for Trump

The Left’s campaign to punish wrong-thinkers continues, now with Home Depot shoppers saying they want to organize a boycott of the retailer due to its co-founder’s political views.

George Orwell called it “thought crime” in his classic book, 1984.

Bernie Marcus has made no secret of the fact that he is a supporter of President Donald Trump, appearing on television periodically to applaud the stewardship and direction of the economy. And that, in the eyes of some, was enough to make him a villain in need of punishment.

“Never shopping @HomeDepot again,” suggested one Twitter user. “Cutting up my card,” wrote another.

As Marcus told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as part of a recent interview, Trump has “got a businessman’s common sense approach to most things. Now, do I agree with every move that he makes? No, I don’t. But the truth is he has produced more than anybody else. He has. If we look at this country, I would say that we are better off today than we were eight years ago or six years ago.”

“Social media users have been ripping Marcus for his support of Trump, even though it’s been known for quite some time. The 90-year-old reportedly donated $7 million to his presidential campaign in 2016 — and he’s expected to match that number or possibly give even more,” noted the New York Post.

The Atlanta-based billionaire has a net worth of $5.9 billion, down from its peak of $10 billion in September 2018, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Marcus said he planned to financially support the president in the 2020 election, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Since retiring from Home Depot in 2002, thehill.com pointed out, Marcus “has become more involved in politics, donating millions to the Republican Party. He also donated $7 million to Trump during the 2016 presidential race, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.”

Appearing to bow to public pressure, Home Depot released a statement in which it said the company does not endorse presidential candidates and Marcus was not speaking for the company. “Bernie retired from The Home Depot more than 15 years ago and isn’t speaking on behalf of the company,” Home Depot spokeswoman Margaret Smith said in a statement to The Hill. “In fact, as a standard practice, the company does not endorse Presidential candidates.”

Marcus co-founded the Israel Democracy Institute in 1991, contributing $5 million for the construction of the institute’s building in Jerusalem’s Talbiya neighborhood and investing hundreds of millions of shekels in its ongoing operation over the years. He also donated $25 million to Autism Speaks to spearhead its efforts to raise money for research on the causes and cure for autism. He is an active member of the board of directors. Bernie and Billi Marcus are signatories of The Giving Pledge, a commitment to give away the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes.