Thomas Fahr Steyer (/ˈstaɪ.ər/; born June 27, 1957) is an American climate investor, businessman, hedge fund manager, philanthropist, environmentalist, and liberal activist.

Switching his focus to politics and the environment, he launched NextGen America, a nonprofit organization that supports progressive positions on climate change, immigration, health care, and education.

[5][6] Steyer sought the Democratic nomination for president in 2020, but dropped out of the race after the first four state contests,[7][8] having spent more than $191 million on campaign advertising but failing to obtain any pledged delegates.

[10] His mother, Marnie (née Fahr) was a teacher of remedial reading at the Brooklyn House of Detention and his father, Roy Henry Steyer was a partner in the New York law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell,[11][12] and was a prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials.

[10] He graduated from Yale University summa cum laude in economics and political science, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

[22] According to SEC filings, Steyer was at the helm as the hedge fund purchased nearly $90 million of Corrections Corporation of America stock (5.5% of the company's outstanding shares).

[24] On April 17, 2020, it was announced that California Governor Gavin Newsom had selected Steyer to chair a task force focused on the state's economic recovery after the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic.

[47] Steyer has been a member of the Hamilton Project[48] and has been involved with the Democracy Alliance, a network of progressive donors whose membership in the group requires them to donate at least $200,000 a year to recommended organizations.

Jim Steyer, Tom's brother, told Men's Journal that Obama and his advisors would regret having chosen someone else, due to his expertise.

[56][57][58] While supporters of Steyer's effort said it would "help break the partisan gridlock in Sacramento", critics objected that "the increasing involvement of rich individuals perverts the original intent of the initiatives".

"[61] In February 2013, Steyer spoke at an anti-Keystone XL Pipeline rally on the Washington Mall organized by Bill McKibben and attended by tens of thousands.

[24][65] Steyer supported Democrat Terry McAuliffe's successful 2013 campaign for governor of Virginia through his NextGen Climate Action, contributing funds for paid media (such as television advertisements) and get-out-the-vote efforts.

[67] Steyer cited Florida's pivotal role in the 2016 presidential election and its geographic position, which makes it highly vulnerable to climate change, as reasons for his focus on the state.

[69] The Guardian reported in 2014 that Steyer had become the single largest donor in American politics and is the leading advocate of environmental issues.

[73] In July 2015, Steyer called on 2016 candidates to develop strategic plans to provide the United States with at least 50% of its energy from clean sources by 2030.

[80][81] In the ad, Steyer identifies himself only as an "American citizen" and alleges that Trump "brought us to the brink of nuclear war, obstructed justice at the FBI, and in direct violation of the Constitution has taken money from foreign governments and threatened to shut down news organizations that report the truth."

[84] In March 2018, Steyer launched a 30-city town hall tour[85] and, going into the fall election season, the campaign had amassed close to 6 million petition signatures.

The Advisory Council also included Dr. Cecilia Martinez, executive director of the Center for Earth, Energy & Democracy, Lonnie R. Stephenson, head of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, now Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Carol Browner, a top climate official in the Obama years and board chair of the League of Conservation Voters, and Harold Mitchell, Jr., a former South Carolina state representative and founder of the ReGenesis Community Development Corporation.

[107] In 2023, Steyer held a fundraiser for President Joe Biden's re-election bid for the White House in his San Francisco home.

[108] After holding several conversations during the summer of 2012 with environmental writer Bill McKibben, Steyer decided to focus much of his attention on the Keystone Pipeline.

Projects included the creation of lighter, less toxic, and more durable batteries, and an analysis of the then-current power grids capacities to support future renewable energy technologies.

[112][113] In October 2013, Steyer launched a bipartisan initiative to combat climate change along with then-New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

[24] The initiative, called the Risky Business Project, focuses on quantifying and publicizing the economic risks of climate change in the United States.

[120] Asked in a November 2014 interview why he invests his money into elections rather than philanthropic organizations, Steyer stated that the price of inaction is too high not to take a direct role.

[121] He has said that he opposes Citizens United v. FEC, the 2010 Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited corporate donations to super PACs.

[122] Steyer called one version of a 2017 Republican tax reform proposal a "thinly veiled reverse Robin Hood".

[124] In November 2018, in a full-page USA Today ad, Steyer outlined five non-partisan issue areas on which he said the Democrats should campaign, and which "represent essential freedoms that should be guaranteed for all Americans": voting rights protections, a clean environment, a complete education, a living wage, and good health.

[131] Steyer received Equality California's 2015 Humanitarian Award "for his work advancing progressive causes that benefit the LGBT community.

"[132] In August 1986, Steyer married Kathryn Ann Taylor, a graduate of Harvard College who earned a Master of Business Administration and a Juris Doctor from Stanford University.

[135] Men's Journal mentioned the modest aspects of his lifestyle noting that he owns an "outdated hybrid Honda Accord" and eschews luxury items such as expensive watches.