A New Report Says Bob Iger Did Not Donate to Either Presidential Candidate This Year

Once upon a time, it looked like Bob Iger was ready to leave The Walt Disney Company behind and enter the world of politics.

The year was 2018, and at the time, it seemed like Iger’s Disney career was coming to an end. As he looked to write the next chapter in his life, Iger surveyed the political landscape and believed that something needed to change.

“The thought I had was coming from the patriot in me, growing up at a time when we respected our politicians not only for what they stood for but because of what they accomplished,” Iger told Vogue at the time.

Bob Iger

“I am horrified at the state of politics in America today, and I will throw stones in multiple directions. Dialogue has given way to disdain. I, maybe a bit naively, believed that there was a need for someone in high elected office to be more open-minded and willing to not only govern from the middle but to try to shame everyone else into going to the middle.”

There Was Pressure For Iger to Run

At the time, many encouraged Iger to pursue his interest in politics, with his friend Oprah Winfrey openly lobbying him and a high-ranking Democrat pressuring him to run.

Photo: Willow Bay on Instagram (via PEOPLE)

“He said to me, ‘You should run for president,’ and I said, ‘Tell me why?’” he recalled to Kelly Ripa earlier this year. “And his first words out of his mouth were, ‘Well, you really look the part.’ I said, ‘Give me a break. That’s not enough.’”

NBC News

While Disney’s decision to purchase 20th Century Fox would require Iger to forgo any thoughts of leaving Disney, it would not be the last time that Iger found himself in the political fray.

Iger’s Return to Disney

After stepping down as Disney’s CEO in 2019, Iger saw the company he once led embroiled in a very public battle with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The spat stemmed from Disney’s public opposition to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act (which critics dubbed “Don’t Say Gay”).

Soon enough, Disney found itself stripped of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, at the center of the culture wars, and a frequent target for right-wing critics.

Photo: Natacha Rafalski on Instagram

When Iger returned to the company in 2022, he quickly sought to pull Disney out of the political fray. Preaching Disney’s commitment to storytelling first and foremost, Iger was able to smooth things over with DeSantis while largely keeping the many privileges that Disney has enjoyed in Florida since the 1960s.

That brings us to today.

The Disney CEO Did Not Contribute To Either Candidate This Election

A new report from Puck News revealed that according to regulatory filings, Bob Iger did not contribute to either candidate in this year’s presidential election.

Photo: Masterclass

While at face value, Iger’s lack of political contribution may not be newsworthy, it is a marked change from the Disney CEO’s past. Previously, Iger contributed to Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign and had made contributions to Harris’s past campaigns.

Photo: Getty Images

While there is speculation about the reasons behind Iger’s decision, one thing is certain. Had the Disney CEO contributed to Harris’s campaign, he would have grabbed headlines, and Disney would have been back in the middle of the political storm.