The only Goldman Sachs employee known to have donated to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has been placed on paid leave after he and the company were mentioned in a New York Times article.
Luke Thorburn, who has worked as a financial adviser for the Wall Street investment bank since 2014, was disciplined last week after The Times reported that he made two donations totaling $534.58 to Trump’s campaign in September.
The Times piece — which mentioned Thorburn only in passing — also noted that he had trademarked the phrase “Make Christianity Great Again,” a riff off of Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again.”
Thorburn is using that slogan on hats he is selling online, suggesting that his donation to the Trump campaign was for the purchase of merchandise.
“It’s not hard to imagine the direction this world is heading,” reads one section of Thorburn’s website. “Violence and corruption in society come at a time when faith in Jesus Christ has lost its luster. Unsavory media, a lack of biblical education and global political corruption are just a few key parts in creating the misshapen world we see today. A Godless World is an Ending World, and worldwide Christian persecution can no longer be tolerate.”
According to The Times, Goldman Sachs said that Thorburn was placed on paid leave because he had not obtained permission to pursue the endeavor and because he made inconsistent statements about the business.
It is not clear if Thorburn actually backs Trump for president. An email sent to the company’s email address was returned by an unnamed person who declined to comment. The person said that Thorburn came closer to God recently after his brother passed away.
As The Times notes, Goldman Sachs employees have contributed more than $199,000 to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign. They’ve contributed more than $94,000 to Hillary Clinton. Trump’s campaign is largely self-funding, and he has not solicited donations from Wall Street firms or any other companies.