Airbnb Co-founder Joe Gebbia Cites Border Crisis as Catalyst for Leaving Democratic Party

Joe Gebbia, co-founder of the global hospitality giant Airbnb, has publicly announced his departure from the Democratic Party, attributing his political shift primarily to the southern border crisis under the Biden administration. Gebbia, a former donor to Democratic campaigns including those of Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, revealed his decision in an interview on "The Katie Miller Podcast," stating he now supports former President Donald Trump.

Gebbia explained that the escalating activity at the border in early to mid-2021 prompted his concern. He sought answers from Democratic contacts but ultimately "felt unfulfilled" by their responses. This led him to consult with former Trump senior advisor Jared Kushner, who, according to Gebbia, provided a deeper understanding of the issue.

"I think it was early 2021, mid-2021, the activity at the border caught my attention, and I just remember thinking, ‘What’s going on with this topic? It seems as if there’s no border,’" Gebbia stated. He further added, "I don’t think I can support a political party that wants to have an open border, that lets in criminals and dangerous people into our country. That’s just not something I can get behind."

This political realignment follows Gebbia's recent appointment by President Trump as the first Chief Design Officer of the United States, a role within the new National Design Studio aimed at improving government websites. He had previously joined Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in February. Gebbia's move reflects a broader trend of some tech industry figures re-evaluating their political allegiances.