Billionaires Michael and Susan Dell have stepped up where Washington often talks and underdelivers, pledging a historic $6.25 billion to seed so-called Trump accounts for roughly 25 million American children. The announcement, made on GivingTuesday, is the largest single private commitment to U.S. children in modern memory and a bold example of private citizens strengthening families and futures.
The accounts themselves are part of the federal Invest America program enacted earlier this year, which guarantees a $1,000 deposit for children born between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2028 and is slated to begin accepting accounts on July 4, 2026. That clear timetable and the upfront federal seed money create a framework that encourages saving, not dependency, and gives parents a long-term asset to build upon.
Under the Dells’ pledge, $250 will be deposited into each qualified child’s account for most children 10 and under who don’t qualify for the federal newborn grant, targeting 25 million youngsters and prioritizing zip codes where median family income is $150,000 or less. This private boost is designed to make the accounts real and visible in communities so more families will claim them and start contributing even modest sums that compound over time.
The accounts will be required to invest in low-cost index funds and will be accessible when beneficiaries turn 18 to pay for education, job training, a first home, or starting a business — practical uses that promote independence and upward mobility. Families, employers, and nonprofits can add to these accounts, which makes this a public-private partnership in the truest sense: government establishes the baseline and citizens, charities, and businesses scale opportunity.
Patriots who believe in dignity through work should celebrate a policy that builds assets for kids instead of expanding entitlements that trap families for generations. This is the conservative vision of opportunity: seed capital, private initiative, and the power of compound returns to turn small beginnings into real economic freedom for hardworking Americans.
Critics on the left are quick to point out that parts of the legislation also included cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, and child care supports, and they warn the new accounts won’t erase childhood poverty overnight. Those warnings deserve attention, but they should not be used as an excuse to block programs that restore ownership and agency to families; the Dells’ gift shows private citizens can mobilize to fill gaps and spark better outcomes.
What we need now is more American generosity, not cynical partisan attacks: other business leaders, philanthropists, and faith groups should match this spirit and help parents build intergenerational wealth. If July 4, 2026 becomes the day these accounts begin turning tiny deposits into real opportunity, this country will have another example of freedom and free enterprise delivering results where big government rhetoric too often falls short.
