In a recent essay titled "I Know What America's Leading CEOs Really Think Of Donald Trump," Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, president of the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute, has challenged the narrative being propagated by Republicans that former President Donald Trump is winning back the support of the country's CEOs ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

Sonnenfeld dismissed the notion, stating that "that is far from the truth." According to him, CEOs did not rally around Trump before, and they certainly aren't doing so now. Sonnenfeld emphasized that Trump continues to face unprecedentedly low levels of corporate backing within the Republican Party's history.

Despite the endorsements from prominent financiers like Steve Schwarzman and David Sacks, Sonnenfeld claimed that these individuals are outliers and not representative of the overall sentiment among CEOs. Notably, he pointed out that not a single Fortune 100 chief executive has made a donation to Trump's campaign so far this year, which he considered a telling data point on corporate America's lack of enthusiasm for the former president.

Sonnenfeld, drawing from his own experience leading the institute and regular interactions with CEOs, acknowledged that while some chief executives may have reservations about a second term for President Joe Biden, they are downright fearful of Trump making a comeback to the White House.

His analysis comes at a time when Trump's campaign received substantial donations from notable billionaires, including $50 million from Timothy Mellon, a member of the Mellon banking family, and $10 million from Liz and Dick Uihlein. These contributions helped Trump's campaign surpass Biden's in fundraising for May 2024, with a staggering $60 million advantage. It is worth noting that a significant amount of these donations came after Trump's conviction in his hush money trial.

Sonnenfeld's critique of Republicans' claims about Trump's corporate support sheds light on the complex landscape of business leaders' sentiments toward the former president. As the 2024 presidential election approaches, the true extent of Trump's backing from the corporate world remains a subject of scrutiny and debate.