For babies born in the next few years, "Trump accounts" could be a financial game changer. And for the policymakers and advocates who conceived of the idea, the accounts have another potential benefit: Improving capitalism's reputation, especially among young people. "What I'm really excited about is, we are creating a new generation of capitalists," Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said at the White House on Tuesday. "Every child in America is going to be an owner of the biggest employers in this country."
The historic gift has little precedent, with few single charitable commitments in the past 25 years exceeding $1 billion, much less multiple billions. Announced on GivingTuesday, the Dells believe it's the largest single private commitment made to U.S. children. It is also unusual in that it will operate through investment accounts set up by the U.S. Department of the Treasury that will be managed by private companies.