Ronald Lauder Halts GOP Donations Ahead of 2026 Midterm Elections

Billionaire Ronald Lauder, the 82‑year‑old heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics fortune and a longtime megadonor to Republican candidates, has stopped making political contributions as the 2026 midterm elections approach. After decades of giving more than $40 million to GOP causes—including a $5 million donation to the MAGA Inc. super PAC in 2025, a $250,000 gift to the Truth & Courage PAC for Sen. Ted Cruz, and over $13 million to Safe Together New York Inc.—Lauder’s most recent recorded donation was a $5,000 contribution in January 2026 to the Security is Strength PAC. Sources say his adult children urged him to scale back his political activity and focus on philanthropy and his art collection. The pause comes as billionaires collectively pour over $433 million into the 2026 midterms, with roughly 80 % supporting Republican candidates, making Lauder’s withdrawal a notable loss for GOP fundraising in New York but unlikely to shift the overall financial balance of the race.