How Mike Lindell And Donald Trump Became Connected
CEO Mike Lindell became a household name and a millionaire with his popular MyPillow infomercials. According to CNBC, his journey to success was anything but easy. For years, Lindell was a crack cocaine addict until he became sober in January 2009. From then on, his focus became MyPillow, a business the Minnesota native first conceived in 2004. Nowadays, The Guardian states that Lindell has gained notoriety and perhaps infamy for his dedication to both the Republican Party and former President Donald Trump. In November 2022, Lindell announced his plans to run for the Republican National Committee (via CBS News).
That same month, Insider notes that Lindell attended Trump's announcement for the 2024 presidential race. Lindell previously told CNN that his political ventures are all thanks to Trump. He explained, "I had to learn what a liberal was, what a conservative was. I didn't know anything about politics. I'm not kidding. I was an addict, I was a crackhead. I didn't get into politics and I didn't realize how important they were."
Lindell also revealed that before Trump announced he was running for president in 2015, he had dreamed of the event. He later proclaimed that Trump was "chosen by God" to be the president of the United States (per The Hill).
Mike Lindell and Donald Trump became friends in 2016
According to CNN, Lindell did not personally know Trump when he first announced he was running for president. In an interview with People, Lindell explained that the two eventually met after Trump sent him a text. Their first encounter was at Trump Tower in New York City on August 15, 2016. Lindell stated that Trump "was just intrigued and he wanted to know" about MyPillow. He later told CNN, "I just believed in Donald Trump so much after that meeting with him ... He has a heart that cares. And maybe people don't see that out there when he's on TV and stuff, because he's such a fighter and wants to win and wants to help this country so bad and help people."
Ultimately, this led to a flourishing friendship and Lindell's decision to support the Republican Party. The Guardian reports that Lindell was seen at the White House multiple times after Trump won the election. Per Insider, Trump has called Lindell his "friend" and has praised MyPillow. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, he invited Lindell to speak at a White House briefing, a move that was later heavily criticized. Politico states that Trump may have also urged Lindell to run for governor of Minnesota. Lindell later denied this claim but did admit that his support for Trump was unconditional. Lindell said (via People), "I'm very proud of what he's done." He added, "I will not back down ever — ever."
Mike Lindell supports the election denial movement
Per CNBC, Lindell told the publication his belief that the 2020 election was rigged against Trump. Lindell now uses his wealth to push this false narrative. All in all, The New York Times writes that he has spent a total of $40 million. He stated (via CNBC), "I will keep spending it because there is no tomorrow. We lose our country. We either only have two paths: either it gets changed before the 2022 election or we lose our country forever. I will spend every dime I have." Furthermore, it's alleged that Lindell may have been involved in the January 6 Insurrection (per NPR).
The Guardian reports that Lindell has denied being a part of the insurrection. In September 2022, Lindell announced that the FBI had taken his phone (via CNN). He believed that this had to do with insurrection. However, Reuters explains that he was being investigated for identity theft and for a security breach regarding voter equipment from Dominion Voting Systems in Colorado. According to another article from The Guardian, the company had previously sued Lindell for his "efforts to undermine faith in American democracy and enrich himself in the process".
Now that Lindell is running for the Republican National Committee, he told CBS News, that he doesn't trust the use of computers in elections. Lindel also divulged that he had not asked Trump for his endorsement. "This is my deal and I would hope that I have his support, but that's not going to dissuade me either way," he said.