The tide is shifting for some big political donors. Many of them swore off support for former President Donald Trump after the 2020 election.

The reasons varied but most centered on Trump fatigue, policy disagreements, and the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. Some of Wall Street's biggest names who supported Trump in the 2016 election and during Trump's time in office later groused and grumbled and said they were moving on. 

That was then, this is now. 

After Biden's three-plus years in the White House, these deep pockets are coming back to Trump. Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and others are now saying they may not like Trump but they dislike Biden's policies more. Many of them are keeping anonymous, at least at this point, because they don't want their personal political views to be linked to their employers. 

One hedge fund billionaire said, "I still hate the man." Most are coming to appreciate Trump's successes in his first term in the White House. His economic policies had the economy humming along for all demographics, not just top earners as Democrats would have you believe. And Trump's immigration policies worked well, too, for the entire country. A third reason is dissatisfaction with Biden and his administration's turning against Israel in the war against Hamas in Gaza. 

They have taken a second look at Trump and life during the Trump administration looks a lot better than life during the Biden administration. If asked, voters would not say that they are better off today than they were in a pre-pandemic America with Trump in charge.

Frankly, many people don't believe that Biden is in charge of the White House or policy decisions. He isn't up to the day-to-day running of his administration and the decision-making that has to happen. Biden is close in age to Trump but the contrast between the two men is stark. Biden's mental acuity is failing in real time. He is physically frail. His staff have begun surrounding him as he walks to Marine One at the White House to cover for his gait, or in case he falls. It shields him from the press.

One big donor who supported Nikki Haley is in talks with Team Trump.

A prominent example of the about-face is Kenneth Griffin, a hedge fund magnate and political megadonor who publicly derided Mr. Trump as a “three-time loser” less than two years ago. In recent weeks, the Citadel founder has been in communication with the former president’s campaign about potentially making a major donation, which would amount to millions of dollars.

Asked by The New York Times if he would support Mr. Trump for the first time in 2024, Mr. Griffin said: “It’s a question I’m giving serious consideration to.”

In an interview with Bloomberg News on Tuesday, Mr. Griffin said Mr. Trump “will exude a level of strength” that would help settle foreign policy issues, among others.

Mr. Griffin and his representatives have told the Trump campaign that the billionaire is waiting to see whom the former president selects as his vice-presidential candidate. He is hoping for a pick with close ties to the traditional Republican apparatus, such as Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina. Mr. Griffin donated millions to Ms. Haley’s unsuccessful presidential campaign in the Republican primary race.

I don't think Trump will choose Nikki Haley as his running mate but I've been wrong before. She may change her mind about refusing the offer if Trump extended one because it would set her up for a 2028 run for president. I think she'll run again and she will have the perks of being the vice president if that scenario plays out. So, if she isn't the vice president nominee chosen by Trump, maybe Griffin will sit the election out. I'd be willing to bet he won't though. 

Big donors have strong political opinions, same as anyone else, but they are first and foremost realists. They look out for their businesses and the bottom line. They know that Biden has been a disaster for the economy. Can they afford another four years of Biden? What if Biden doesn't make it through another four years and we're stuck with President Harris? That should send a shiver down everyone's spine. Joe Biden is historically bad but she's an idiot.

Big donors tend to go with the frontrunner and in this case, that's Trump. Recent poll results have been a disaster for Biden. Trump leads in all the most important issues - the economy and immigration are the top two issues. 

Biden is running out of time to convince voters that he should be re-elected. He won't get younger and his dementia will only get worse. It's not quite time to say it is Trump's election to lose, but it is getting close. The one unknown factor right now is how a conviction in the sham hush money trial would affect Trump's support with independent voters. Will they stay with him or sit out the election? It remains to be seen.