Michael and Susan Dell joined President Donald Trump in the Oval Office this week to spotlight a major expansion of the administration’s “Trump Accounts” program and provide an update on their enormous philanthropic commitment to children’s investment accounts.
The Dells—best known for Michael Dell’s role as founder and CEO of Dell Technologies—have committed $6.25 billion to place $250 into investment accounts for as many as 25 million American children. Their contribution is aimed largely at younger children who do not qualify for the federal government’s separate $1,000 seed deposit for children born between 2025 and 2028.
At the October 7 White House event, Michael Dell said the couple had already funded 10 million accounts and expected the full 25 million to be funded by the end of the week. Susan Dell urged parents and grandparents to claim their children’s accounts, saying the couple had heard from families who view the funds as a meaningful first step toward education, homeownership, entrepreneurship, and long-term financial security.
The appearance also came as the Treasury Department’s automatic-enrollment push dramatically expanded the program. The White House said the change increased the number of children with Trump Accounts from roughly 10 million to about 70 million. Parents and guardians can claim and manage accounts through the program’s app or the IRS process.
The meeting was not about a personal payment to Trump. The Dells’ money is intended for children’s accounts through the federal program. Still, the event drew attention because Trump has publicly praised the couple and previously encouraged Americans to buy Dell computers. He also joked after Susan Dell’s remarks that he would endorse her immediately if she ever ran for office.
Supporters view the accounts as a way to give more children an early stake in investing and compound growth. Critics, however, have raised questions about the program’s rules, the continued steps families must take to access benefits, and newer policies that allow companies to contribute individual stocks that families may not be able to reject or sell immediately.
For now, the Dells’ Oval Office visit was primarily a public progress report: a high-profile push to get families to claim accounts and a reminder that billions of dollars in private funding are now being directed toward millions of American children’s financial futures.
