Billionaires Michael and Susan Dell announced Tuesday they are donating an unprecedented $6.25 billion to investment accounts for 25 million American children — one of the largest private philanthropic contributions in U.S. history. The money will provide $250 deposits into investment accounts for children ages 10 and under, expanding the “Trump accounts” created in President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
For newborns between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028, the Dell contribution stacks on top of the $1,000 already provided by the U.S. Treasury. Michael Dell, founder of Dell Technologies and currently the 10th richest American with a net worth of roughly $129 billion, said the gift is designed to give young Americans a real financial head start.
“These investment accounts are simple, secure, and structured to grow in value through market returns over time,” the couple wrote in their announcement. “At age 18, these young Americans can have a financial foundation for continued education, job training, home ownership, or future savings. It’s a simple yet very powerful idea.”
The Dells said they were inspired by the opportunity to “expand this opportunity to even more children.” According to Invest America — the nonprofit overseeing the program — older children may receive funding later if resources remain after initial sign-ups.
Although the concept was first floated during the Biden administration, The New York Times reported that lawmakers did not push forward with legislation until President Trump expressed interest. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) led the effort to get the Invest America account program included in last summer’s spending bill, resulting in the rollout of the “Trump accounts” under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
White House spokesman Kush Desai hailed the donation as a monumental milestone. “The One Big Beautiful Bill’s Trump Accounts are a revolutionary investment by the federal government into the next generation of American children,” he said. “It’s also President Trump’s call to action for American businesses and philanthropists to do their part, too. Michael and Susan Dell’s $6 billion investment into America’s children is the first of many announcements to come.”
According to Invest America, the program is expected to reach roughly 80 percent of children across 75 percent of the nation’s ZIP codes. To qualify for the Dell donation, children must live in ZIP codes with median household incomes below $150,000 — meaning the initiative targets middle- and working-class families rather than wealthy enclaves.
Drawing on decades of philanthropic involvement in education and community development, the Dells said the investment program will provide more than just savings. “It will give young Americans momentum. It will give them confidence and opportunity,” they wrote. “We believe this effort will expand opportunity, strengthen communities, and help more children take ownership of their future. And we believe everyone has a role to play.”
President Trump praised the Dells personally on Tuesday, writing in a Truth Social post: “TWO GREAT PEOPLE. I LOVE DELL!!!”
With the Dells’ contribution marking the first major private-sector reinforcement of Trump’s child investment initiative, administration officials expect other business leaders to follow suit — potentially reshaping long-term economic opportunity for millions of American children.
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