Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker is effusively praising a provision within a Trump-backed law despite calling the legislation a “moral obscenity” several months earlier.
Booker, a left-wing Democrat with presidential ambitions, applauded a multibillion dollar contribution Tuesday to a child investment program, known as Trump accounts, enacted within Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The legislation passed Congress in July over the fierce objections of Booker, who urged Democrats to do everything in their power to stop it.
“We must turn our disappointment and anger into action,” Booker wrote on social media following the bill’s passage in the Senate on July 1. “We can still fight this bill in the House.”
On Tuesday, Booker publicly celebrated Michael and Susan Dell’s $6.25 billion contribution to the Trump accounts investment program.
“I’m excited for this new initiative for families, philanthropists, and the business community to invest in our country’s future – our kids,” Booker wrote on X.
Booker’s support for the Trump accounts is the latest example of Democrats backing popular provisions within the “Big, Beautiful” Bill, despite voting against the legislation when it passed Congress.
The budget law created a new tax-advantaged account for American children, which Republicans heralded as an unprecedented investment in America’s youth.
The provision directs the Treasury Department to contribute $1,000 into the accounts for every child born between Jan. 1, 2025 and Dec. 31, 2028. Starting July 4, 2026, parents will be able to contribute up to $5,000 per year into the account until their child turns 18. Employers can also help cover the $5,000 amount without counting the money as taxable income.
The Dells’ massive contribution will allow children under 18, who were not eligible for the initial investment, to also receive funds in a savings account. The tech mogul’s multibillion dollar gift is expected to give 25 million American children 10-years old and under a $250 deposit. The donation is geared to children living in zip codes with a median income of $150,000 or less.
Booker described the child investment accounts as “groundbreaking” in a joint letter with Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to Fortune 1000 CEOs on Monday.
“These accounts will launch a once-in-a-generation expansion of economic opportunity and prosperity for every American child, helping millions of families realize the American dream through homeownership, education, or entrepreneurship,” the senators wrote.
When asked whether he is changing his tune on Trump’s signature legislative accomplishment, Booker doubled down on his opposition and repeated his “moral obscenity” attack line, in a brief interview with the Daily Caller News Foundation.
No Democrat voted for the budget law, which funneled more than $100 billion to border security and immigration enforcement efforts while expanding existing tax cuts and enacting new tax breaks. Democrats faulted the legislation for reforming entitlement programs, which Republicans argued was necessary to root out waste, fraud and abuse.
However, Booker conceded the Trump accounts are a “step in the right direction” and claimed the law’s provision alignswith a baby bonds program he has long pushed.
“This is the major stride towards what I’ve been working on,” Booker told the DCNF. “I’m going to encourage people to participate.”
Booker also touted his advocacy alongside Cruz to further promote the Trump accounts.
“The lie in Washington is that there is no common ground, and I will always stand firmly on common ground when we can find it,” Booker said.
Booker’s expressed support for bipartisanship stands in stark contrast to the senator railing against a handful of Democratic colleagues for working with Republicans during a fiery speech on the Senate floor in July.
Amid the dramatic shouting match, Booker argued that bipartisanship makes Democrats “complicit” with Trump’s policy agenda.
“This to me is the problem with Democrats in America right now,” Booker said. “We are being complicit to Donald Trump.”
“There’s a lot of us in this caucus that want to fucking fight,” the Democrat added.
Andi Shae Napier contributed to this report.
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