If you’ve spent any time on X or Reddit lately, you’ve probably seen the firestorm. People are literally posting screenshots of themselves canceling their auto-ship orders. Others are swearing they’ll never buy a bag of kibble from anywhere else. It’s a mess. And at the center of it is one question: does Chewy support Trump?
Honestly, the answer is way more complicated than a simple "yes" or "no."
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Most of this drama doesn't even start with Chewy as it exists today. It starts with a guy named Ryan Cohen. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s the "Meme Stock King" and the current CEO of GameStop. He also happens to be the guy who co-founded Chewy back in 2011.
The Ryan Cohen Factor
In July 2024, Ryan Cohen posted a very short, very clear message on X: "Trump 2024."
That single post sent the internet into a tailspin. Because Cohen is so synonymous with Chewy’s early success, a lot of people immediately assumed that his personal politics reflected the company’s stance. But here is the thing: Ryan Cohen hasn't been part of Chewy for years.
He sold the company to PetSmart in 2017 for about $3.35 billion. He stepped down as CEO in 2018.
Since then, he’s had zero operational control over where your dog's squeaky toys come from. He’s moved on to GameStop and other investments. So, while the founder of the company is an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, he isn't the one running the show anymore.
Who Actually Owns Chewy Now?
When you're trying to figure out if a brand leans left or right, you have to look at the current leadership and the money trail. Right now, Chewy is a publicly traded company (NYSE: CHWY). Its largest shareholder is BC Partners, an international private equity firm.
Current CEO Sumit Singh has been at the helm since 2018. Unlike Cohen, Singh keeps a pretty low profile when it comes to partisan politics. He focuses mostly on logistics, healthcare expansion (like Chewy Health), and trying to make the company profitable.
Breaking Down the Political Donations
If you look at Federal Election Commission (FEC) data, you won't find a "Chewy PAC" dumping millions into the Trump campaign. In fact, Chewy doesn't even have a registered political action committee.
According to data from trackers like the 1792 Exchange, Chewy is generally considered a "medium risk" or "high risk" for conservative investors because the company actually leans into DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives. They are a sponsor of Out & Equal, an organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ workplace equality.
This creates a weird paradox:
- The Founder (Ryan Cohen): Publicly supports Trump and criticizes "wokeness" and DEI.
- The Current Company (Chewy): Actively participates in DEI programs and avoids Republican campaign donations at a corporate level.
Basically, the person people associate with the brand and the brand itself are moving in completely opposite directions.
Why the Confusion Still Happens
We live in an era where "founder-led" brands are the norm. People still think of Steve Jobs when they buy an iPhone, even though he's been gone for over a decade. The same thing is happening with Chewy.
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Because Cohen was the "face" of the brand during its massive growth phase, his current political statements get pinned on the company. It’s a classic case of brand association outlasting actual ownership.
Then you have the "boycott" culture. Whenever a high-profile figure like Cohen says something controversial, it triggers a chain reaction.
- Cohen tweets support for Trump.
- Critics see "Founder of Chewy" in his bio or remember him from the early days.
- A #BoycottChewy hashtag starts trending.
- Supporters of Trump then flock to the brand to "counter-buy."
It’s exhausting. And usually, it’s based on outdated info.
Is Chewy "Woke" or "Conservative"?
It depends on who you ask.
If you ask a MAGA supporter who follows Ryan Cohen, they might think Chewy is a bastion of freedom. If you ask a progressive who sees the company's corporate responsibility reports, they see a company that supports pride months and diversity hiring.
The reality? Chewy is a massive corporation trying to sell pet food to everyone. Their internal policies actually lean more toward the "corporate progressive" side of the scale, which is why some conservative groups have given them low ratings on "viewpoint neutrality" scores.
What You Should Actually Look At
If you’re deciding where to spend your money based on politics, here is what actually matters regarding does Chewy support Trump:
- Corporate PACs: Chewy does not have one. They aren't writing checks to the RNC or the DNC.
- Individual Employees: Like any big company, individual employees can donate to whoever they want. These show up in databases but don't represent the company's official stance.
- Executive Leadership: CEO Sumit Singh hasn't made any public endorsements for the 2024 or 2026 cycles.
- Board of Directors: Most board members are tied to BC Partners, a firm that manages billions and generally avoids picking sides in US presidential elections to protect their global interests.
The Bottom Line
If you’re boycotting Chewy because you hate Trump, you’re basically boycotting a company for something its former boss said—a boss who hasn't worked there in six years.
If you’re shopping at Chewy specifically to support Trump, you’re actually supporting a company that invests heavily in DEI programs, which are things Trump and Cohen have both criticized.
The irony is pretty thick.
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Your Next Steps
- Check the FEC records yourself. If you’re curious about any company, go to OpenSecrets.org. You can search by "Chewy" and see every individual donation made by people who list Chewy as their employer.
- Review the Proxy Statements. If you really want to see a company’s soul, read their annual 10-K or Proxy Statement. It lists their "Risk Factors" and where they stand on social issues.
- Separate the person from the platform. Understand that in 2026, a founder’s personal X account is rarely a reflection of a public company’s boardroom strategy.
Ultimately, your dog doesn't care about the 2024 election. They just want the treats to arrive on time. Whether you choose to hit "buy" or "cancel" depends on if you're looking at the guy who started the company or the people who are actually shipping the boxes today.