David Mark Rubenstein (born August 11, 1949, in Baltimore, Maryland, raised in a Jewish family whose grandfather emigrated from Ukraine to escape pogroms) is an American billionaire investor, lawyer, businessman, philanthropist, and former government official. He began his career as a lawyer before serving as deputy domestic policy advisor in the Carter administration, then co-founded The Carlyle Group in 1987, building it into a global private equity firm managing over $400 billion in assets. He is the principal owner of the Baltimore Orioles MLB team (acquired in 2024 for $1.7 billion). A prominent philanthropist practicing 'patriotic philanthropy' focused on preserving American history and culture, he has made transformative gifts to institutions including the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (where he served as co-chair until early 2025, when he was publicly dismissed as chairman by President Donald Trump), the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, Monticello, and the Smithsonian. He has also acquired and loaned rare historic documents such as the Magna Carta and copies of the Emancipation Proclamation to cultural institutions. Rubenstein chairs multiple boards, including the Council on Foreign Relations (since 2017), the National Gallery of Art, and the University of Chicago. He graduated magna cum laude from Duke University and earned his JD from the University of Chicago Law School. He is a published author of bestselling books, hosts a podcast and television programs, and is an original signer of The Giving Pledge.