Fact Check: Bernie Sanders Says Buttigieg’s Campaign Funded by Billionaires

CLAIM: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s (D) 2020 presidential campaign is funded by billionaires.

VERDICT: TRUE. Dozens of billionaires have contributed to the former mayor’s presidential campaign.

Bernie Sanders said on Tuesday that the American people don’t want candidates “running to billionaires for huge amounts of funding,” hitting Buttigieg and Joe Biden (D) over their billionaire support.

“Pete has gotten funding from over 50 billionaires,” Sanders said.

“I can’t allow this to stand because it’s just not true. Sen. Sanders has got people believing something that is untrue about my campaign,” Buttigieg said. “The idea that most of my campaign is funded by billionaires.”

Indeed, Buttigieg is funded by dozens of billionaires. Forbes has provided details on his billionaire support, identifying “40 billionaires and their spouses who have contributed to Buttigieg’s campaign.” It includes the likes of David Geffen, Barry Diller, Wendy Schmidt, Katharine Rayner, Daniel Ziff, Reed Hastings, and Jonathan Gray.

Buttigieg went on to defend his campaign contributions, adding, “Grassroots contributions are the lifeblood of my campaign.”