Paulson: I’d go into cash and gold if Kamala Harris is elected
Paulson & Co. founder John Paulson says the middle class is key for this election on "The Claman Countdown."
Hedge fund billionaire and major Trump fundraiser John Paulson said Tuesday he will pull his money out of the market if Vice President Harris wins the presidential election this fall, saying the Democrat nominee's economic policies would spook investors.
The Paulson & Co. founder, known for his lucrative bet against the subprime mortgage in 2007, appeared on Gxstocks' "The Claman Countdown," where host Liz Claman asked him what he sees as the next big bet similar to that.
Hedge fund manager John Paulson (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
"Well, I would say it very much depends on who's in the White House and who controls Congress," Paulson replied. "I'd be very concerned if Harris is elected and pursues the tax plans and other economic plans that she articulated."
Paulson said during the interview that former President Trump and Harris' plans for the economy are very different, noting that Trump wants to extend the 2017 tax cuts implemented during his term in office while Harris wants to let them expire.
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He also noted that Harris has proposed raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% and wants to raise the capital gains rate from 20% to 28%.
Republican presidential nominee former President Trump arrives for a campaign event at the Central Wisconsin Airport on Sept. 7, 2024, in Mosinee, Wisconsin. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The billionaire pointed to Harris' proposed 25% tax on unrealized gains for individuals making $100 million or more, and he predicted that, if implemented, it "would cause mass selling of almost everything – stocks, bonds, homes, art – I think it would result in a crash in the markets and an immediate, pretty quick recession."
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Claman went on to note that some people who were concerned about the policies of previous presidents, namely Barack Obama, Trump and Joe Biden, pulled their money out of the markets when they were elected, and the move turned out to be a big mistake as the markets continued to perform well.
But Paulson has said that market timing and investor timing will really matter depending on who is president, and Claman asked him if he is ready to take that chance.
Democrat presidential nominee Vice President Harris speaks during a campaign event on Sept. 2, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
"It depends on the policy," Paulson said. "I think if Harris was elected, I would pull my money from the market. I'd go into cash, and I'd go into gold because I think the uncertainty regarding the plans they outlined would create a lot of uncertainty in the markets and likely lower markets."
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When pressed by Claman, Paulson reiterated that he would sell the liquid equities that he owns if Harris wins the White House.
