Billionaire Ray Dalio and his wife Barbara have stepped forward to seed the new Trump Accounts, pledging $75 million to put $250 into the accounts of roughly 300,000 Connecticut children living in lower‑income ZIP codes, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced. This is part of a broader 50‑state challenge to rally philanthropists to give every child a fighting chance at building generational wealth.
The Trump Accounts were created by legislation passed this year and are designed to start each eligible child with a government seed deposit and decades of compound growth, with the Treasury slated to deposit $1,000 into accounts for children born during the specified eligibility window. Parents, family members, employers and philanthropists can add to those accounts—up to $5,000 a year—and money will be invested in low‑cost index funds to keep costs down and returns competitive.
Dalio’s move follows a massive pledge from Michael and Susan Dell, who committed billions to seed millions of accounts nationwide, showing that this is not a partisan stunt but a practical, scalable effort to expand opportunity. The Dalios’ Connecticut focus reflects local roots and a targeted approach to lift kids in ZIP codes where the median income is under the stated threshold.
Conservatives should welcome this kind of private‑public partnership because it puts real assets in the hands of young Americans instead of creating another permanent government benefit that breeds dependency. Critics from the left and some experts warn it won’t by itself erase inequality, and they’re right that policy must be paired with work, education and civic responsibility—but throwing up one’s hands and refusing to expand opportunity is a moral failure.
This is also a reminder that free‑market institutions and philanthropy still move faster and better than bureaucrats trapped in Washington, D.C. Ray Dalio himself has said early exposure to investing changed his life, and it’s commonsense to give kids the same shot at financial literacy and capital to start businesses, buy homes or pay for education when they’re adults.
Patriots of every stripe should take note: policies that encourage savings, personal responsibility and private generosity deliver results for real families. If conservatives want to win the argument about prosperity, they should celebrate and replicate wins like the Trump Accounts while pushing for broader economic reforms that keep opportunity within reach for every hardworking American.
