“How Would You Like to Lose $49 Billion in Five Weeks? You Have No Idea What That Feels Like, Especially Since He’s Now Worth Less Than $200 Billion,” — Sen. Sanders Makes Fun of Larry Ellison — “How Do You Walk Into the Country Club When You’re Worth Less Than $200 Billion?”

Kurt Steffens

February 9, 2026

“How Would You Like to Lose $49 Billion in Five Weeks? You Have No Idea What That Feels Like, Especially Since He’s Now Worth Less Than $200 Billion,” — Sen. Sanders Makes Fun of Larry Ellison — “How Do You Walk Into the Country Club When You’re Worth Less Than $200 Billion?”

Senator Bernie Sanders mocked Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison as an example of the complex demands that come with extreme wealth. Sanders’ remarks were part of a broader post following a “March for Billionaires” rally in San Francisco, aimed at emphasizing the pressures on the ultra-wealthy while warning of growing inequality in the United States.

“Listen to this: Since the beginning of this year, he has lost some $49 billion of his net worth as Oracle stock slid 5%. $49 billion! Poor fellow. How would you like to lose $49 billion in five weeks? You have no idea what that feels like, especially since he’s now worth less than $200 billion. How do you walk into the country club when you’re worth less than $200 billion?” Sanders wrote. He also highlighted the business complexities Ellison manages: “And on top of that, he’s got to figure out how to run his media empire of CBS, TikTok, Paramount, MTV, BET, CMT, Nickelodeon, Pluto TV and more. Larry’s juggling a lot.”

Let’s have a little sympathy for the struggling billionaire class. pic.twitter.com/iQLRE9iN2F
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 9, 2026

According to Forbes, Ellison’s net worth is $201.8 billion. He co-founded Oracle Corporation in 1977, recognizing the commercial potential of relational database software. Under his leadership, Oracle grew into one of the world’s largest enterprise software companies, serving governments and major corporations. Ellison’s aggressive acquisition strategy, including PeopleSoft, Siebel Systems, and NetSuite, helped cement Oracle’s dominance and propelled him to billionaire status.

Beyond Oracle, Ellison has diversified his wealth through luxury real estate and lifestyle investments. He owns high-end properties in California, Hawaii, and Japan, including approximately 98% of the Hawaiian island of Lānaʻi. Ellison is also heavily involved in yachting and aviation, owning multiple yachts and private jets, and has invested in sports and technology ventures, reflecting both his competitive nature and taste for high-performance assets.

Larry Ellison owns about 98% of Lanai, Hawaii's sixth-largest island. He bought most of it in 2012, including two resorts, most of the housing, and the island's infrastructure. Roughly 4,000 people live there, so their daily life, jobs, development, and even utilities are all… pic.twitter.com/QfpV8iUgCj
— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) October 30, 2025

Sanders’ comments were part of a broader critique of the top 1% of earners and the structural advantages they enjoy. “Further, do you have any idea how much effort is involved for the top 1% to avoid paying $163 billion a year in federal income taxes that they legally owe? Or to make sure that billionaires pay a lower tax rate than the average truck driver, teacher or nurse? … Think of all the accountants, lawyers and lobbyists they must hire to rig the tax code, prevent the IRS from auditing them, stash hundreds of billions in offshore tax havens and set up secret bank accounts in places like Switzerland. That’s not easy. Show a little sympathy,” he wrote.

Sanders earlier highlighted Ellison’s broader influence over media and technology platforms, connecting it to concerns about concentration of information. In a previous post, Sanders wrote: “When we talk about authoritarianism, it’s not just Donald Trump. Musk owns X. Bezos owns Twitch. Zuckerberg owns Instagram and Facebook. Larry Ellison controls TikTok. Billionaires increasingly control what we see, hear and read.”

When we talk about authoritarianism, it’s not just Donald Trump.

Musk owns X
Bezos owns Twitch
Zuckerberg owns Instagram and Facebook
Larry Ellison controls TikTok

Billionaires increasingly control what we see, hear and read.
— Sen. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) February 3, 2026

Ellison’s link to TikTok in the United States comes through a major restructuring in early 2026 designed to comply with U.S. national security requirements. ByteDance retained a minority stake while a U.S.-based joint venture—backed by investors including Oracle—took majority control of TikTok’s American operations. Oracle, where Ellison holds significant influence, plays a key role in aspects of data management and algorithm oversight for U.S. users

By highlighting Ellison’s financial losses, media holdings, luxury lifestyle, and influence over TikTok, Sanders portrayed the Oracle co-founder as emblematic of the pressures and power of the billionaire class, while raising broader questions about wealth concentration and control over information in the United States.

About Author

Zane Clark

Zane Clark is a writer whose interest in national affairs began at age 11, during a birthday ride in a 1966 Piper 180C that sparked an early curiosity about history and current events. That first moment of perspective grew into a lasting fascination with the people, conflicts, and decisions influencing the nation’s direction. Today, Zane brings clear, informed storytelling to Altitude Post, covering everything from major events to the individuals helping shape the country’s future. When he’s not writing, he’s researching history, following current developments, spotting aircraft, attending airshows or exploring the stories behind the headlines.