The Left has an uphill battle since losing spectacularly in 2024. They don’t need anymore losses.
But now a major donor ditched the Democrat Party for an embarrassing reason.
Why a Tech Billionaire Ditched Democrats for Trump’s America-First Agenda
The border crisis under Joe Biden’s administration was a wake-up call for millions of Americans, and even lifelong Democrats are jumping ship to support President Donald Trump’s bold, America-first policies. One such convert is Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, a tech billionaire who recently revealed his dramatic shift from the Democratic Party to backing Trump. His reasoning? The Democrats’ failure to secure the border and their willingness to let chaos reign.
“I remember just being like, ‘Holy cow, this is crazy,’” Gebbia told The Katie Miller Podcast on Monday. “Like, ‘This is not right, this is a real problem and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be enforcing the laws of our country and our border.’”
Gebbia’s journey to the right began around 2021 when he noticed the border situation spiraling out of control. Like many Americans, he couldn’t ignore the flood of illegal immigrants pouring across the southern border, with monthly encounters soaring past 200,000 under Biden’s watch.
Frustrated by the lack of answers from his Democrat friends, Gebbia turned to Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, for clarity. “I sort of, you know, begin to look at other topics and eventually came to the point where I don’t think I can support a political party that wants to have an open border, that lets in criminals and dangerous people into our country,” he said.
“That’s just not something I can get behind.”
President Trump’s administration has taken a no-nonsense approach to tackling crime, especially the kind fueled by unchecked illegal immigration. Since taking office, Trump has unleashed a wave of immigration enforcement operations, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests skyrocketing. In 2025 alone, ICE has detained over 300,000 illegal immigrants, many with criminal records, including those convicted of serious offenses like homicide and s*xual assault.
This crackdown is part of Trump’s campaign promise to restore law and order, a stark contrast to the Biden administration’s lax policies that allowed dangerous individuals to roam free in American communities.
The Trump administration’s efforts aren’t just about numbers—they’re about protecting American citizens. In Washington, D.C., for example, Trump launched a multi-agency operation targeting violent crime and illegal immigration. Since August 2025, over 1,000 arrests have been made in the capital, with nearly half involving suspected illegal immigrants with outstanding criminal charges, such as drug trafficking and s*xual solicitation. The White House has made it clear: “The focus of the efforts in D.C. is to address violent crime and make the city safe for ALL.” This is the kind of decisive action Americans have been demanding after years of Democrat-led sanctuary city policies that shielded criminals.
Gebbia’s shift was also influenced by his friendships with key Trump allies like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Elon Musk. “I’ve been on my journey. Everyone’s been on a journey,” he said, crediting Kennedy’s commitment to the nation’s health as a major factor in his political awakening.
“I think through, you know, certainly Bobby Kennedy and supporting him, and I’ve been so grateful for the work that he’s doing, to be somebody who just cares so much about the health of our nation, and you know, has no ties to industry and is really just able to bust through walls and sort of, like, right-size the ship.” Kennedy’s role as Health and Human Services Secretary has resonated with Americans tired of establishment corruption.
Trump’s policies are delivering results that can’t be ignored. A July report from the Council on Criminal Justice showed homicides dropped 17% in the first half of the year compared to 2024, with gun assaults down 21% and robberies falling 20%. These numbers aren’t just statistics—they’re proof that Trump’s commitment to enforcing existing laws is making America safer. As Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott put it, “The biggest reason right now that we’re seeing that massive reduction is because people are held accountable for violating the law, and they’re quickly removed from the United States.” This is the kind of leadership Gebbia and millions of others are rallying behind.
The Biden administration’s open-border policies, by contrast, created a nightmare for American communities. Under Biden, illegal border crossings hit historic highs, with over 700,000 “gotaways”—migrants who evaded Border Patrol—recorded in a single year. Sanctuary city policies in places like Boston and New York allowed criminals to hide, putting citizens at risk. A former Massachusetts shelter director warned that the migrant crisis was fueling crime across Boston, with open drug use and violence spiking. Yet Democrat leaders like Mayor Michelle Wu and Governor Maura Healey resisted Trump’s federal crackdowns, calling them “political theater” while ignoring the chaos in their own backyard.
Trump’s response has been to double down on enforcement. His administration signed the Laken Riley Act into law, requiring undocumented immigrants arrested for theft or violent crimes to be detained pending trial. Named after a Georgia nursing student m*rdered by a Venezuelan illegal immigrant, the law is a direct rebuke to Biden’s soft-on-crime approach. Trump also secured a deal with El Salvador to deport violent gang members like those from Tren de Aragua and MS-13, ensuring they face justice abroad. As Representative María Elvira Salazar said, “BRAVO @nayibbukele and President Trump! Bukele is an expert at LOCKING UP every gang member, m*rderer and criminal.”
Gebbia’s role in the Trump administration further shows his commitment to fixing America’s broken systems. Initially volunteering for Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in February to streamline federal retirement processes, Gebbia was appointed last month as the chief design officer of the National Design Studio. His mission? To overhaul 26,000 outdated federal websites, making them user-friendly and efficient for everyday Americans. “My directive is to update today’s government services to be as satisfying to use as the Apple Store: beautifully designed, great user experience, run on modern software,” Gebbia said on X. This is the kind of innovation Trump’s administration is bringing to government.
The contrast between Trump’s decisive action and the Democrats’ failures couldn’t be clearer. While Biden and Kamala Harris pushed policies that let over 180,000 immigrants with criminal convictions stay in the U.S., Trump’s ICE operations are targeting these threats head-on. In California alone, ICE arrests surged by over 500% in 2025, focusing on violent offenders like Jose Valdez-Flores, a Mexican national convicted of s*xual abuse, and Alejandro Murillo, a Costa Rican national with r*pe and assault convictions. These aren’t just numbers—they’re dangerous individuals who should never have been allowed to roam free.
Critics of Trump’s policies, often backed by left-leaning media, claim his crackdowns are more about optics than substance. But the data tells a different story. Violent crime levels in 2025 are lower than pre-pandemic 2019 levels, a testament to Trump’s focus on law enforcement and accountability. Unlike Biden, who relied on executive orders to limit asylum requests only when crossings hit unsustainable levels, Trump has declared a national emergency at the southern border, invoking laws like the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to detain and deport threats from hostile nations.
Gebbia’s defection from the Democrats is a powerful symbol of the growing frustration with their failed policies. His conversations with Kushner revealed the truth about the border crisis that Democrats tried to down Clive downplay. “I get on the phone with Jared and say, ‘Hey, can you help me? Fill in the gaps for me. Like, don’t nations need borders to be a nation?’” Gebbia recalled. That question resonates with millions of Americans who see Trump’s crackdowns as a return to common-sense governance.
The Trump administration’s crime-fighting strategy isn’t just about immigration. In Washington, D.C., multi-agency teams are tackling violent crime across the board, from drug trafficking to assault. The deployment of 1,700 National Guardsmen to assist ICE with processing illegal immigrants shows Trump’s commitment to streamlining enforcement, freeing up agents to focus on high-priority targets. This isn’t the “spectacle” critics claim—it’s real action to protect American lives.
For Gebbia, the choice was clear: a party that prioritizes open borders and excuses lawlessness isn’t fit to lead. His alignment with Trump, Kennedy, and Musk marks a turning point for patriots who want a government that puts Americans first. As Trump continues to deliver on his promise to clean up the mess left by Biden, more Americans like Gebbia are waking up to the reality that strong borders and strong laws are the foundation of a safe, prosperous nation.
President Trump’s vision is simple: enforce the law, protect the people, and restore America’s greatness. Gebbia’s story is a reminder that even the most unlikely allies are joining the fight to take back our country from the chaos of the past. As Trump’s administration continues to roll back the damage of the Biden era, the message is clear: America is back, and it’s stronger than ever.
