Berkshire Hathaway

Quick Take

Berkshire's political money comes from its businesses and their employees, and it has split between the parties [5]. In the 2024 election cycle, money tied to Berkshire and its affiliates totaled about $6.4 million, 53 percent to Republicans and 47 percent to Democrats [5]. Its affiliates spent about $6.9 million on federal lobbying in 2024, not counting BNSF, which OpenSecrets tracks separately [6]. Buffett himself has backed Democrats, endorsing Hillary Clinton in December 2015 and inspiring the "Buffett Rule" tax proposal, but in 2024 Berkshire said he would not endorse candidates [7][8][9]. In February 2025, Berkshire dropped a line about promoting "diversity and inclusion in the workforce" from its annual report [10][11].

A Company Made of Companies

Berkshire's structure shapes its politics. The company says each operating business sets its own policies on hiring and pay, in line with its "decentralized management philosophy" [3]. Its political activity is also spread across many businesses, several with their own political action committees (PACs, funds that give to candidates) and lobbyists.

OpenSecrets, a nonprofit that tracks political money, groups Berkshire with affiliates such as Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Ben Bridge Jeweler [5]. It treats BNSF Railway as a separate, related organization, so BNSF's money is not in the Berkshire totals below [6]. This profile covers federal records only; it does not cover state-level giving or lobbying by Berkshire's businesses.

Where the Money Goes

The combined total has moved from mostly Republican to closer to even. OpenSecrets counts PAC money from Berkshire affiliates plus gifts of $200 or more from people who list Berkshire companies as their employer [5].

In the 2012 cycle, that total was about $4.6 million, 69 percent to Republicans [5]. In the 2016 cycle, about $5.7 million, 66 percent to Republicans [5]. In the 2020 cycle, about $7.6 million, split almost evenly at 51 percent Republican [5]. In the 2024 cycle, about $6.4 million, 53 percent to Republicans and 47 percent to Democrats [5].

Of the 2024 total, about $3.9 million came from individuals and about $2.0 million from affiliate PACs, with the balance in other OpenSecrets categories [5]. The largest recipients were the Democratic National Committee at about $599,000, the National Republican Congressional Committee at about $451,000, and Kamala Harris at about $408,000 [12]. GOPAC, which OpenSecrets lists as a 527 political group, received $291,500, all of it from the organization side rather than individuals [12]. Donald Trump's campaign received about $252,000 [12].

The affiliate PACs lean Republican. In the 2024 cycle, the Berkshire Hathaway Energy PAC gave $168,000 to federal candidates, about 73 percent to Republicans [13]. BNSF's PAC, BNSF RailPAC, gave $802,500 to federal candidates, about 65 percent to Republicans [14].

The Lobbying Footprint

Berkshire's businesses lobby heavily. OpenSecrets reports federal lobbying by Berkshire and its affiliates of about $6.9 million in 2024 and about $7.2 million in 2023, ranking it 72nd of 9,200 lobbying organizations in 2024 [6]. Those totals do not include BNSF, which OpenSecrets lists separately [6].

Warren Buffett's Politics

Buffett, the chairman and largest shareholder, has a long public record of backing Democrats, with one notable exception: in 2003 he served as an unpaid senior financial and economic adviser to Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign for California governor [21]. In August 2011, he wrote a New York Times op-ed titled "Stop Coddling the Super-Rich" [8]. The next month, the Obama administration adopted the idea as the "Buffett Rule," the principle that households making over $1 million a year should not pay a smaller share of income in taxes than middle-class families [8].

Buffett endorsed Hillary Clinton at an Omaha rally in December 2015 and campaigned with her there in August 2016 [7][17]. In 2008 he had held fundraisers for both Clinton and Barack Obama during their primary race without officially endorsing either [17]. He challenged Donald Trump to release his tax returns and asked, "have you no sense of decency, sir?" [15]. He gave $248,500 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2019, according to a FactCheck.org review of Federal Election Commission records [22].

His stance has since changed in one respect. In October 2024, after fake social media posts claimed he had backed candidates, Berkshire said Buffett "does not currently and will not prospectively endorse investment products . . . or endorse and support political candidates" [9]. OpenSecrets donor records list no federal gifts from him after 2019 [16].

On tariffs, Buffett told CBS in March 2025 that "they're an act of war, to some degree," adding, "The Tooth Fairy doesn't pay 'em!" [2]

Buffett's voting power is about 30 percent, not a majority, though Berkshire's proxy statement says he "may be deemed to be Berkshire's controlling shareholder" [4]. His personal donations are his own money, not the company's [16].

Shareholder Votes on Climate and Diversity

At Berkshire's May 2024 annual meeting, shareholders rejected proposals asking the insurance and energy businesses to disclose more about their climate efforts, including greenhouse gas emissions, and a proposal seeking more disclosure on diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace [19]. Buffett and the board opposed all of them, and the climate proposals lost by margins of more than 4 to 1 [19].

A year later, at the May 2025 meeting, shareholders voted down seven more proposals, including requests for reports on the risks of subsidiaries' race-based initiatives, a board committee to oversee diversity and inclusion, independent-director oversight of artificial intelligence risks, and a report on voluntary environmental activities [20]. The board opposed all seven, saying some were at odds with the company's decentralized culture and that its approach was to "follow the law and do the right thing" [20].

The Disappearing Diversity Line

Berkshire's annual reports dropped a reference to diversity in 2025. The annual report filed in February 2024 said its businesses' hiring practices were "intended to identify qualified candidates and promote diversity and inclusion in the workforce" [10]. The report filed in February 2025 kept the first half of that sentence but dropped "and promote diversity and inclusion in the workforce" [11]. The report filed in March 2026 uses the shorter wording too [3]. All three point readers to U.S. workforce data on Berkshire's website [3][10][11].

Where to Find Them

Berkshire Hathaway's businesses sell under their own names, such as GEICO. Its corporate website is berkshirehathaway.com.

Footnotes

[1] Jonathan Stempel, Reuters (via WMBD), "Berkshire dismisses 'false' reports on Buffett comments after Trump shares video," April 4, 2025. https://wmbdradio.com/2025/04/04/berkshire-dismisses-false-reports-on-buffett-comments-after-trump-shares-video/

[2] John Towfighi, CNN (via KRDO), "Warren Buffett: Tariffs are 'an act of war'," March 3, 2025. https://krdo.com/news/2025/03/03/warren-buffett-tariffs-are-an-act-of-war/

[3] Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025, filed with the SEC March 2, 2026. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1067983/000119312526083899/brka-20251231.htm

[4] Berkshire Hathaway Inc., 2026 proxy statement (Form DEF 14A), filed with the SEC in 2026. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1067983/000119312526106253/d882687ddef14a.htm

[5] OpenSecrets, "Berkshire Hathaway Profile: Totals," all cycles, accessed November 1, 2026. https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/berkshire-hathaway/totals?cycle=A&id=D000021757

[6] OpenSecrets, "Berkshire Hathaway Profile: Summary," 2024 cycle, accessed November 1, 2026. https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/berkshire-hathaway/summary?id=D000021757&cycle=2024

[7] Boston Globe (Associated Press photo), "Billionaire Warren Buffett campaigns with Hillary Clinton," August 1, 2016. https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2016/08/01/billionaire-warren-buffett-campaigns-with-hillary-clinton/aOvvlf1LagA4eRHhMQkemJ/story.html

[8] Thomas L. Hungerford, Congressional Research Service, "An Analysis of the 'Buffett Rule'," R42043, March 28, 2012. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R42043.html

[9] Sydney Lake, Fortune, "Warren Buffett is so over AI deepfakes he forced Berkshire Hathaway to release a statement saying he would never endorse a presidential candidate: 'It just ain't me'," October 23, 2024. https://www.fortune.com/2024/10/23/warren-buffett-ai-deepfake-berkshire-hathaway-statement-presidential-candidates

[10] Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Form 10-K for fiscal year 2023, filed with the SEC February 26, 2024. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1067983/000095017024019719/brka-20231231.htm

[11] Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Form 10-K for fiscal year 2024, filed with the SEC February 24, 2025. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1067983/000095017025025210/brka-20241231.htm

[12] OpenSecrets, "Berkshire Hathaway Profile: Recipients," 2024 cycle, accessed November 1, 2026. https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/berkshire-hathaway/recipients?id=D000021757&candsOnly=N&cycle=2024

[13] OpenSecrets, "PAC Profile: Berkshire Hathaway Energy," 2023-2024 cycle, accessed November 1, 2026. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/berkshire-hathaway-energy/C00324483/summary/2024

[14] OpenSecrets, "PAC Profile: BNSF Railway," 2023-2024 cycle, accessed November 1, 2026. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/bnsf-railway/C00235739/summary/2024

[15] NBC News, "Warren Buffett Challenges Trump to Release Taxes," August 2016. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/warren-buffett-challenges-trump-release-taxes-n621336

[16] OpenSecrets, donor lookup for "Warren Buffett," accessed November 1, 2026. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=warren+buffett

[17] Claire Groden, Fortune, "Warren Buffett Stumps For Hillary Clinton in Nebraska," December 17, 2015. https://fortune.com/2015/12/17/warren-buffett-clinton/

[18] Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, consolidated balance sheet. https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/qtrly/2ndqtr26.pdf

[19] Jonathan Stempel, Reuters (via Investing.com), "Berkshire shareholders reject climate, diversity, China proposals," May 4, 2024. https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/berkshire-shareholders-reject-climate-diversity-china-proposals-3419682

[20] Jonathan Stempel, Reuters (via StreetInsider), "Berkshire shareholders reject diversity, AI proposals," May 3, 2025. https://www.streetinsider.com/Reuters/Berkshire+shareholders+reject+diversity%2C+AI+proposals/24737521.html

[21] CNN Money, "Ah-nold teams up with Buffett," August 13, 2003. https://money.cnn.com/2003/08/13/news/buffett/index.htm

[22] Saranac Hale Spencer, FactCheck.org, "Buffett Didn't Donate to Biden or Cause Pipeline to be 'Cancelled'," February 5, 2021. https://www.factcheck.org/2021/02/buffett-didnt-donate-to-biden-or-cause-pipeline-to-be-cancelled