Mark Cuban may make a good president someday, but he hasn’t really stepped into the world of politics.
At least until this year.
The co-owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks and “Shark Tank” investor is not technically a Republican. But I’ve interviewed him several times since 2015, and I’ve never seen him campaign hard to win the ticket of Democrats, especially progressives. It was.
But Cuban continues to campaign for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, and just interviewed the vice president on his YouTube page.
What does the Texas billionaire see in the Harris campaign? And why is he at odds with another famous Texas billionaire, SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk?
I asked Cuban about his recent foray into politics.
Mark Cuban: ‘I know Harris will be a better president’
Even before the New Yorker entered politics, Mr. Cuban had an on-and-off feud with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump over the years. But in 2015, Cuban said Trump was “probably the best thing to happen to politics in a long, long time.”
Mr. Cuban initially thought it would be good if Mr. Trump, a fellow businessman, could change the current state of American politics.
“I thought, ‘He’s great. He’s not your typical Stepford candidate. I thought that was a positive thing.’ Cuba told former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. In a recent interview.
He quickly changed his mind.
In a 2017 column I wrote for The Daily Beast, Mr. Cuban said that Mr. Trump is an “idiot” but that he himself is not a “liberal.”
“Are you now a liberal or a far-left progressive?” I asked him in an email this month, given his vocal support for Harris.
“LOL. No, I’m still independent and make my own decisions position by position,” Cuban replied. “I know Ms. Harris would be a better president. That’s the only reason I support her.”
“If it were up to me, they could make political parties illegal and I’d be happy,” Cuban added.
That sentiment will likely disappoint conservatives, confuse liberals, and excite libertarians.
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Many conservatives believed he was like one of them. And even though he’s campaigning for Harris, it turns out he still aligns with conservatives on some ideas.
“I prefer a smaller, more effective government,” Cuban said. “But I prefer to be realistic than dogmatic.”
He said government programs can help people in need and that he values philanthropy. His Cost Plus Drug Company is a real-life example. This online pharmacy boasts drug prices that are a fraction of the usual price.
“As a country, we are only as good as our children. When children and their parents struggle, it makes life difficult for them and those who love and help them,” Cuban told me. told. “Once we solve some of the fundamental problems, we can start removing those programs. … I had this exact conversation with Kamala. We want to improve the efficiency of government programs and improve the efficiency of government programs.” It’s about the need to improve efficiency and deliver better outcomes for people.” ”
Harris’ policy positions advocate $25,000 in down payment assistance for eligible first-time homebuyers and 1 million “fully forgivable” loans of up to $20,000 to Black entrepreneurs. Despite his claims to offer, Mr. Cuban still believes he is better suited for the job than Mr. Trump.
“I want a president who is honest, ethical, and open-minded, not an ideologue or dogmatist,” Cuban wrote. “Pragmatic, analytical, and learns from her experiences and others.”
“Harris camp versus Elon.”
Cuba is not the only billionaire participating in this presidential race. Elon Musk, another Texas billionaire, is also actively campaigning for Trump.
“Elon took over the Republican ground game,” Cuban told me. “I believe this election will be won by the organization that does the best job.”
He recognizes the impact of masks. “This is the Harris campaign versus Elon, it’s not even Trump versus Trump,” Cuban said during a recent appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
But I still don’t understand why Musk is campaigning so hard for Trump. “I don’t get it. It doesn’t make any sense to me,” Cuban wrote.
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Musk’s defense may be related to his hatred of government censorship. He now owns X, formerly Twitter. The Washington Post called Musk “the world’s richest standard-bearer for free speech.”
Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, have questioned the limits of free speech, a sentiment that has conservatives worried about Harris’ leadership if she wins.
I have interviewed enough Cubans to understand his views on politics and policy. Even if we weren’t able to share much of it. I also appreciate Mr. Musk’s commitment to free speech. Watching them fight makes me feel like two old men are fighting.
So I had to ask Cuba: Musk is worth about $270 billion. Cuba is worth about $6 billion. How do voters know this isn’t just a personal feud between Texas billionaires?
“This is not about Elon to me,” Cuban said. “He’s a great entrepreneur and a world-class troll, but that doesn’t change the fact that Kamala Harris is a much better candidate.”
Mark Cuban talks about President Trump’s tariffs and taxes
While Cuban clearly enjoys being in the middle of political fray, he is nothing if not a businessman to begin with.
Cuban co-founded the first commercial streaming company and sold it in 1999 for about $6 billion, making 91% of his employees millionaires.
As the first billionaire investor on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” Cuban has been a huge factor in the show’s success. I once asked him how everyday Americans should deal with a possible recession. (Pay down your debt and save cash.) I now share his thoughts on some of Trump’s more controversial economic policies and how they will affect ordinary people’s finances. I was interested in giving.
For example, President Trump recently promised to impose basic tariffs of up to 20% on imports into the United States and up to 60% on imports from China.
“We actually asked entrepreneurs on the show how tariffs would affect their businesses. We said it was negative for us,” Cuban said. “If you don’t know if you’re going to be charged tariffs and how much they’re going to cost you, you can’t run your business as usual. will decrease.”
President Trump’s tariff proposals are unfortunate. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said American consumers will “bear the brunt” of these policies.
Conservatives who like Trump point to his tax cuts, which expire in 2025, as an example of why he should be president.
In the spring, Cuban posted to X that he was proud to pay nearly $300 million in taxes. I asked him why he thought the top 1% should pay more than their fair share in taxes.
“In a way, we got lucky,” Cuban said. “I started my streaming business just as the stock market for internet companies was soaring. It was a blessing in disguise. The only reason I was in that position was because of the great things this country has given me. Thanks for everything. Thanks to all the people who put their lives on the line to protect us. None of it is free. I truly believe that paying your taxes after military service is the most patriotic thing you can do. ”
Is it in America’s interest for Cuba to pay taxes and help others become millionaires? Or will he put his name on the ballot as an independent?
In a 2016 interview, Cuban said he would never run for president but would consider running for vice president. The 2028 election is just four years away.
“Who is your running mate?” I asked.
Always charming and astute, he replied, “Are you free?”
Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist for USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four children. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, delivered to your inbox.
