Warren Buffett, the so-called Oracle of Omaha, announced his retirement this weekend, but not before using his platform to speak directly to the American people. Buffett, 94, spoke to thousands of shareholders at Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meeting in Omaha, providing more than just corporate updates, according to NPR.
He warned that America’s trade war could backfire. “Trade should not be a weapon,” Buffett declared, to applause from the audience. Instead, he encouraged the United States to embrace global cooperation, stating, “We should do what we do best, and they should do what they do best.” He did not mention the current administration, but his criticism of recent tariff policies was loud and clear.
Buffett’s words came shortly before he officially named Greg Abel as his successor and stepped down as CEO, signaling the end of a legendary era.
He purchased Berkshire in 1965 and spent the next six decades transforming it from a struggling textile company into a corporate powerhouse.
Today, its holdings include railroads, insurance companies, Dairy Queen, and Apple stock. However, even as Buffett closed that chapter, he was not concerned with money. He was focused on America’s future.
“The more prosperous the rest of the world becomes … the more prosperous we will become,” according to him. For Buffett, trade is about more than just GDP and profit margins. It is about peace, security, and the world that his great-grandchildren will inherit.
The annual meeting, also known as “Woodstock for Capitalists,” attracted tens of thousands of people from all over the world. Attendees lined up for See’s Candies, snapped selfies with Buffett cutouts, and carried Berkshire souvenirs such as Squishmallow plushies modeled after the mogul himself.
As he exited the stage to a standing ovation, Buffett added one final quip about the applause: “The enthusiasm from that response can be interpreted in two ways.” Buffett left more than a financial legacy. He left a reminder that in a world obsessed with winning, cooperation could be the real key to long-term wealth…and peace.