Susan Dell at the White House: Why the internet is raging against the billionaire's wife

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Susan Dell at the White House: Why the internet is raging against the billionaire's wife.

For most of us, Susan Dell was simply "Michael Dell's wife" for years. No major public profile, no headlines, no talk show appearances. Until an invitation to the White House changed everything — and with it came a wave of hate-filled online comments that continues to this day. What is going on?

Who is Susan Dell?

Susan Dell is the wife of Michael Dell, the founder of the Texas-based computer manufacturer Dell Technologies. Michael Dell has been one of the richest people in the world for decades; the couple is considered extremely wealthy. Comparatively little is publicly known about Susan Dell herself — she is not an actress, not a politician, not a foundation activist with a major media platform. Rather, she is the quiet half of one of the largest tech fortunes in the US.

The invitation to the White House

What does the White House have to do with the private life of a billionaire's wife? In the US, more than one might suspect here. Those who donate in these circles, run foundations, or move in high society regularly end up on guest lists in Washington. According to Spiegel, Susan Dell's wealth secured her exactly this invitation. That makes her representative of an entirely normal piece of the web of relationships between great wealth and political power in Washington.

The wave that followed

Since the invitation, writes Spiegel, Susan Dell has been the target of highly unfriendly online comments. What exactly it is about — political symbolism, her appearance on site, her looks, plain envy of her lifestyle — remains open in the public preview. What is certain: from an inconspicuous billionaire's wife, she became an online target overnight. The full article in Spiegel promises answers — it is worth reading if you want to understand why she in particular is receiving so much attention right now.