The Mercer family is a wealthy American family prominently featuring hedge fund manager Robert Leroy Mercer (born 1946) and his daughter Rebekah Mercer (born 1973). Robert built his fortune as co-CEO of Renaissance Technologies, a highly successful quantitative hedge fund, after a career in computer science and artificial intelligence research at IBM. The family established the Mercer Family Foundation in 2004, initially focused on medical research and charities, but under Rebekah's direction from around 2008, it shifted to funding conservative causes, including media organizations, think tanks, and political advocacy groups. With assets growing to nearly $97 million by recent years, the foundation has donated tens of millions to entities like the Media Research Center and Citizens United, playing a key role in right-wing media and election efforts. Rebekah has emerged as a central figure in the family's political activities, serving as director of the foundation and a major Republican donor. The Mercers were early and influential supporters of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, providing financial backing through super PACs and dark money channels, including nearly $20 million to Donors Trust in 2020. Their philanthropy also extends to cultural institutions like the American Museum of Natural History. Robert Mercer, known for his reclusive nature, stepped down from Renaissance in 2017 amid political controversies but continues to exert influence through family-led initiatives. The family's other daughters, Jennifer and Heather Sue, maintain lower public profiles. Beyond politics, the Mercers' wealth stems from Robert's innovations in computational linguistics and trading algorithms, earning him accolades like the Association for Computational Linguistics Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. Their donations have supported climate change denial efforts and anti-Clinton campaigns, reflecting a staunch conservative ideology. While the family avoids the spotlight, their financial and ideological networks have shaped modern Republican strategies, particularly in digital influence and misinformation campaigns linked to entities like Cambridge Analytica.