Fact Check: Did Johnson & Johnson Owner Attend Trump’s Pennsylvania Rally?

Former President Donald Trump’s delicate relationship with the facts has often manifested itself in promoting and sometimes exaggerating his record and achievements as a US leader..

In a recent statement, Trump suggested that he has the support of the head of one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies.

At a rally in May 2022 he claimed that the owner of Johnson & Johnson was there among his friends.

the claim

On May 6, 2022, Trump spoke at a rally in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, in part to show support for Dr. Mehmet Oz, one of the Republican Party candidates for Senate in the upcoming state primary.

During the rally, Trump congratulated several of his close allies in attendance, including “Woody Johnson, a great gentleman, have you ever heard of Johnson & Johnson?”

At last night’s rally, Trump introduces the owner of covid vaccine producer J+J, and the crowd greets him with hostile silence. “This guy has cash like no one else has cash.” pic.twitter.com/b1XC0f9TB4

— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) May 7, 2022

The facts

Robert Wood Johnson IV, or Woody Johnson is an offshoot of Johnson & Johnson dynasty. She has a close relationship with Trump, as he has served as the US ambassador to the UK since August 2017 to January 2021.

Johnson is described in Michael Wolff’s chronicle of the Trump White House, “Fire and Fury,” as heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune, It is estimated to be worth $6.3 billion.

However, the former ambassador does not run Johnson & Johnson nor is he a majority shareholder in the company.

this press release of Johnson & Johnson shows its leadership from 1886 to 2017, not once with Mr. Johnson. Its current Executive Director, Joaquín Duato, became CEO in January 2022, after a 33-year career at the pharmaceutical giant. most recent company financial report it also does not list Johnson among its majority shareholders.

While a Bloomberg profile estimated Johnson’s shares in J&J US to be worth around $276 million, this is a fraction of his estimated net worth of $5.63 billion. Most of his wealth is tied up in his property. the American football team New York Jets which he allegedly bought in 2000 for $635 million.

So while, as Trump suggests, Johnson probably has “cash like nobody’s got cash,” the former president was wrong to name him head of the pharmaceutical giant.

news week has reached out to representatives for Donald Trump and Johnson & Johnson for comment.

failure

False.

Robert Wood Johnson IV does not own Johnson & Johnson. He is a scion of the Johnson dynasty, but he is neither CEO nor majority shareholder of the pharmaceutical giant. He is best known as the CEO of the New York Jets football team.

NEWSWEEK FACT CHECK