US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on Monday. [EPA]
US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on Monday. [EPA]

Just four days after Donald Trump publicly urged SpaceX to donate shares to the so-called "Trump Accounts," SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell pledged to contribute $324 million worth of the company's stock.

Financial weekly Barron's reported Monday that Shotwell announced on X, formerly Twitter, that she would donate 2 million SpaceX shares to the Trump Accounts program.

At $162 per share, the pledge is valued at $324 million.

"My husband and I are thrilled to gift one share of SpaceX stock to the Trump Accounts of more than 2 million children," Shotwell said. She added that shares would go first to children between the ages of 11 and 17 living in areas with below-average household incomes, with a slightly larger allocation for those near her home in central Texas.

Trump Accounts are one of the Trump administration's signature policy initiatives, offering tax-deferred savings and investment accounts to help American children build wealth.

For newborns born between Jan. 1 last year and Dec. 31, 2028, the administration provides a one-time contribution of $1,000.

Micron has pledged $250 million to the Trump Accounts program, while Michael Dell, founder of Dell Technologies, promised to donate $250 to each of about 25 million children.

Trump has also called on Elon Musk, the world's wealthiest person and SpaceX CEO, to support the program through a donation.

In a CNBC interview on Thursday, Trump said he believed Musk would contribute. "Great company Micron already did it, and Michael Dell is a really great guy," he said.

Musk has still not responded publicly.

He has previously expressed a negative view of charitable giving, calling it "really difficult."

Although Musk operates the philanthropic Musk Foundation, a significant portion of the $474 million it distributed in 2024 went to nonprofit organizations run by his close associates.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com