• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
Donald Trump

Donald Trump Says Bill Belichick, Tom Brady Support Him; Giselle Disagrees

By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 8, 2016, 12:11 PM ET
Celebs Ringside at Floyd Mayweather vs Arturo Gatti - WBC Lightweight Title Fight - June 25, 2005
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady chats with Donald Trump (Photo by Donna Connor/WireImage)Photo by Donna Connor — WireImage/Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Presidential candidate Donald Trump is touting a last-minute endorsement that may or may not be a clutch Hail Mary pass.

On Monday, the Republican nominee told a crowd in New Hampshire that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (also endorsed by athletic-gear maker Under Armour (UA)) and his team’s coach Bill Belichick, had endorsed for him. He lauded Brady as a “great guy” and even read a letter he claims came from Belichick, which congratulated the Republican on running a “tremendous campaign” and calling his leadership “amazing.”

Of course, there’s no way to guarantee that either event transpired. Brady and Belichick haven’t yet commented publicly on Trump’s claims—which were made a day before the election—and Brady’s wife Gisele Bündchen actually went out of her way to refute the idea that she and her husband were backing Trump.

The relationship between Brady and Trump has been a popular subplot throughout the election cycle. Back in the fall of 2015, Brady told members of the media that it would “be great” if Trump became president. He even had a red Make America Great Again hat—the iconic symbol of the campaign—in his locker room for a time.

But by the following year, Brady ended up being less public about his public backing of Trump. When asked about Trump’s infamous “locker talk” comments last month—Brady simply walked away from the podium he was standing at without any real response. And he told a radio show that he likely wouldn’t publicly say who he had backed until next week.

All of this begs the question: why does this matter? Endorsements by Brady and Belichick will have little sway in Massachusetts, a state that Clinton is expected to win handily. Most neighboring states are also a deep blue. And while a few New Hampshire voters may be swayed—not enough to tip the state’s 4 electoral votes for or against Trump unless they were already trending that direction.

Trump could be talking about Brady because as the election season winded down, Clinton brought out the big guns. Some A-listers that appeared at campaign events in the final days included superstar Beyonce and her rapper husband Jay-Z, Jon Bon Jovi, and Lady Gaga. Their appearances seemed to even irk Trump. “We don’t need Jay Z or Beyonce,” he said.

Time and time again, celebrity endorsements have proven little might to move votes. Think of it this way: Hollywood celebrities every four year overwhelmingly back Democratic candidates. They lined up to support Clinton in 2016, after backing President Barack Obama for eight years and other Democratic nominees before that. But the nation has had plenty of Republican winners as well. So a Brady endorsement is like moving the football an inch when you’ve got 50 more yards to go for the touchdown: it is inconsequential.

About the Author
By John KellContributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence

John Kell is a contributing writer for Fortune and author of Fortune’s CIO Intelligence newsletter.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

One chart explains the economy’s terrible baby boomer hangover, Gen X’s invisibility, and millennial and Gen Z irrelevance
Economybaby boomers
One chart explains the economy’s terrible baby boomer hangover, Gen X’s invisibility, and millennial and Gen Z irrelevance
By Tristan BoveJune 26, 2026
59 minutes ago
Are Europe’s heat waves deadlier than American gun violence? Kind of—and one of the hottest summers on record is making it worse
EnvironmentEurope
Are Europe’s heat waves deadlier than American gun violence? Kind of—and one of the hottest summers on record is making it worse
By Catherina GioinoJune 26, 2026
1 hour ago
AI boom may be on its last legs amid stock volatility and dash for cash—but will go out in a blaze of glory with ‘blow-off phase’ before bubble pops
AItech stocks
AI boom may be on its last legs amid stock volatility and dash for cash—but will go out in a blaze of glory with ‘blow-off phase’ before bubble pops
By Jason MaJune 26, 2026
2 hours ago
m
LawMeta
‘Careless People’ author claims Meta surveilled her for a year to enforce her silence
By Barbara Ortutay and The Associated PressJune 26, 2026
2 hours ago
Best Walking Pads of 2026: Walk While You Work
HealthDietary Supplements
Best Walking Pads of 2026: Walk While You Work
By Emily PharesJune 26, 2026
2 hours ago
m
PoliticsNew York City
Mamdani lives up to campaign promise, freezing rent for about 1 million New Yorkers
By Anthony Izaguirre, Nick Lichtenberg and The Associated PressJune 26, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
1 day ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
2 days ago
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
Economy
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
By Nick LichtenbergJune 26, 2026
11 hours ago
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
Economy
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
By Eva RoytburgJune 25, 2026
20 hours ago
Trump turns on Big Oil donors who spent nearly $100 million to get him elected—now he wants the DOJ to investigate them for price gouging
Economy
Trump turns on Big Oil donors who spent nearly $100 million to get him elected—now he wants the DOJ to investigate them for price gouging
By Tristan BoveJune 25, 2026
21 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 25, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 25, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 25, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.