Billionaire businesswoman Liz Uihlein, co-founder of the office supply company Uline, is generating a lot of chatter in political circles right now. She accomplished this even after sending a very disrespectful cartoon to her staff. The cartoon, which originally appeared in The Binding Wire, features former President Donald Trump over a card table with Chinese President Xi Jinping. It underscores her long-standing concerns on U.S. trade relations with China. This email was sent earlier this year and highlights Uihlein’s significant role as a political donor and ally to Trump’s movement.
Uihlein, with husband Richard, became one of the top political donors in the last U.S. presidential election cycle. According to campaign finance data from Opensecrets, they poured an unprecedented $143 million into Republican candidates and causes. Make no mistake — they have HUGE financial influence. This influence has turned them into the most powerful actors in determining what political strategies and public policies align with their interests and values.
Uihlein’s gag cartoon shows Trump saying, “I’m the one with the cards.” Good response, Xi Jinping In Reply Xi Jinping Countering the Trade War: The Cards Were Produced in China. This brief exchange provides a lighthearted window into contemporary state diplomacy. It reveals Uihlein’s passion for uniting the United States behind a single, urgent trade policy.
Earlier in the year, Uihlein expressed her views on trade policy in an email to supporters, stating, “America sorely needs a coherent, largely united trade policy, if we don’t get it done, this century belongs to the Chinese.” Perhaps that’s why she believes the United States needs a completely no-partisan approach to trade. This strategy is critical if we want to keep America’s competitive advantage over China.
Uihlein’s colorful and controversial foray into political discourse with her cartoon and subsequent media interviews shows she means business when it comes to opening new trade policy arguments. She is, however, plays an important role as a political ally to Trump and his more movement. Her contributions have not just been financial; she’s been an engine that has driven the conversation around American trade practices.