500 Richest People Gained Record $2.2 Trillion in 2025, Fueling Calls for Wealth Tax

Image – Screenshot from the video: Trump’s Surprise Billionaire Guests […] – Forbes. Article by Jessica Corbett. Common Dreams – January 1, 2026.

“If the monstrous political-economic system that is tearing our planet, the climate, and its people apart isn’t brought to its knees—then humanity will be,” warned one climate scientist.

Led by Big Tech billionaires including Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, and Elon Musk, the world’s 500 richest people added a record $2.2 trillion to their collective wealth in 2025, Bloomberg reported as the year ended on Wednesday. “Obscene greed! While billions of people live in poverty,” human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell responded on X—a social media platform now controlled by Musk, the richest person on Earth. “It’s why we need a global wealth tax.” […]

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