George Carlin once famously quipped, “It’s a big club, and you ain’t in it.” It seems some in Donald Trump’s orbit took that as inspiration. According to Politico, Donald Trump Jr., financier Omeed Malik, and a crew of wealthy Trump-world figures have launched an ultra-exclusive, invite-only social club in Washington, D.C. Known as The Executive Branch, the club quietly debuted with a lavish event following the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Membership? A cool $500,000—pocket change, apparently, for those seeking elite access to power. The goal: to become “the most high-end private club Washington has ever seen,” where exclusivity is measured in dollars, not integrity.
Politico reports the club is aimed squarely at deep-pocketed business leaders and tech elites eager to cozy up to Trump insiders and administration officials. And with Trump Jr. at the helm—someone who’s found influence by inheritance rather than merit—it makes sense they’re charging top dollar for proximity. Alongside Trump Jr. and Malik (whose VC firm 1789 Capital backs “anti-woke” ventures), the club’s founders also include Zach and Alex Witkoff, heirs to billionaire developer and Trump ally Steve Witkoff, and partial architects of the Trump-linked crypto outfit, World Liberty Financial.
Among the club’s founding members: David Sacks, Trump’s go-to on crypto and tech and co-host of the All-In podcast; SPAC enthusiast Chamath Palihapitiya; and the Winklevoss twins. In other words, it’s a who’s-who of Silicon Valley’s most self-interested figures—a veritable nightmare blunt rotation of influence-seekers.
Palihapitiya, in particular, exemplifies the type of personality drawn to such a place. He once lamented that under Democratic leadership, he “couldn’t get a f—ing phone call returned from the White House,” despite his financial contributions. That all changed with Trump: a $300,000 donation and a co-hosted Silicon Valley fundraiser later, and his calls started going through.
Now, with The Executive Branch, that kind of transactional relationship gets an official venue. Drop half a million, and you too can rub elbows with administration players and fellow mega-donors—exactly how the ultra-wealthy believe democracy should work. So congrats to Chamath and the rest: welcome to the club.
