In her new book, Melania, former First Lady Melania Trump has claimed that both she and her son, Barron Trump, faced financial discrimination in the wake of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Melania alleged that a long-time banking partner terminated her account and denied her son the opportunity to open a new one, describing the move as an act of “political discrimination”.
“I was shocked and dismayed to learn that my long-time bank decided to terminate my account and deny my son the opportunity to open a new one,” Melania wrote, without revealing the name of the institution.
She expressed concern over the incident, suggesting that it raises serious questions about civil rights and access to financial services.
The former First Lady linked these actions to the growing influence of what she referred to as “cancel culture”. Melania wrote that this phenomenon has taken root across various sectors, including corporations, media, and cultural institutions, and has become a reflection of America’s divisive socio-political landscape.
Melania also detailed other professional setbacks she attributed to cancel culture, recounting how a media initiative she was involved in collapsed after the private equity group funding it backed out, allegedly due to animosity toward her husband, former President Donald Trump.
She further criticised what she called the “cancel mob” stating, “Corporations, traditional media, prominent social media personalities, and cultural institutions are now part of this disheartening trend.”
These claims were echoed by Marc Andreessen, co-founder of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, who revealed during an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast that more than 30 tech founders, including cryptocurrency entrepreneurs, have faced similar treatment over the past four years.
Andreessen tied the issue to a historical precedent set by the Barack Obama-era “Operation Choke Point”, a 2013 program that scrutinised financial dealings with high-risk but legal industries like gun dealers and payday lenders.
According to Andreessen, the Biden administration has extended the practice, targeting politically disfavoured tech startups, particularly in the cryptocurrency space.
“The government debanked over 30 tech startups, including crypto founders, in recent years,” Andreessen claimed, adding that the trend stifles innovation by shutting out unconventional businesses.
Andreessen also highlighted concerns about government overreach in shaping the future of artificial intelligence, alleging that a spring meeting aimed at promoting AI innovation revealed plans to centralise control over a limited number of large companies.
His comments gained additional traction after Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared the podcast clip on X, questioning the public’s awareness of these alleged financial exclusions. Musk expressed concern about the implications for freedom and innovation.
