Billionaire Bill Ackman Compares Biden to ‘Hostage’ in Conspiracy Rant

Hours after President Joe Biden announced he will forgo seeking a second term on Sunday, billionaire Bill Ackman began pushing and amplifying conspiracy theories that speculated on the president's involvement in the decision to withdraw from the race.

Ackman, the Pershing Square Capital Management CEO who recently endorsed former President Donald Trump, posted claims and reposted several from other users on X that questioned the legitimacy of Biden’s signature on a letter the president posted online Sunday to announce his decision.

Several of the posts claimed there was no proof Biden signed the letter himself, and a few looked for differences in Biden's signature on Sunday’s letter compared with his John Hancock that has adorned other documents in recent months.

Some of the posts, without evidence, claimed or suggested Biden—who has been recovering from COVID at his Delaware home over the past few days—was unaware he was making the decision himself.

“If I were China, I would invade Taiwan tomorrow,” Ackman fired off in one of the posts to his 1.3 million followers.

In another, he wrote: “If this were a hostage situation, that letter would not qualify as proof of life.”

There has been widespread speculation over Biden’s health since his poor debate performance against Trump late last month. The White House has maintained the 81-year-old commander-in-chief’s mental acuity and physical health remain strong, however.

Ackman, who has been a vocal critic of Biden, publicly endorsed Trump online earlier this month, shortly after the attempted assassination of the former president at a Pennsylvania campaign rally.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.