By Karoline Leonard
Austin American-Statesman
(TNS)
Susan Dell’s White House remarks Wednesday prompted President Donald Trump to ask whether she was running for office—and saying she had his “complete and total endorsement.”
Dell and her husband, Dell Technologies Inc. founder and CEO Michael Dell, were at the White House to promote Trump Accounts, a federally supported savings program for children backed in part by the couple’s $6.25 billion pledge.
The Treasury Department announced earlier this month that it will automatically enroll about 70 million eligible Americans younger than 18 in the program. The accounts, created under last year’s tax and spending package, provide a $1,000 federal seed contribution for children born between 2025 and the end of 2028. Parents, relatives and employers can make additional contributions, and beneficiaries can access the money beginning at age 18.
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“We believe in you and we want you to dream big because we know you can make your dreams come true,” Susan Dell said. “So parents and grandparents, please claim your child’s account. These accounts are ready, they’re waiting for you, and they have money in them.”
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that eight million accounts have been created since the program’s launch on July 4, and the auto enrollments are “building on that success by 70 million accounts of children across America.”
The White House has promoted Trump Accounts as a way to help families build wealth over the long term. Trump and the billionaire couple have urged other wealthy Americans to donate individual company stock to the program. Critics say that could tie a child’s account to a single company rather than the broader market.
The White House event came as Republicans prepare for the 2026 midterm elections and as affordability remains a top concern for many Americans. Grocery and gasoline prices have risen significantly amid ongoing trade disputes and the war with Iran.
Photo caption: Children look on as President Donald Trump makes an announcement on Trump Accounts in the Oval Office on Oct. 7, 2026. (Joyce N. Boghosian/Facebook/The White House)
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© 2026 Austin American-Statesman, Texas. Visit www.statesman.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.
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