David Sacks lands in Sacramento amid billionaire tax debate

David Sacks flew from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to McClellan Airfield near Sacramento on May 8, 2026, covering the 130-mile hop in his Cirrus SR22T in just over an hour. Departing at 10:14 p.m. local time, the flight stayed low at 8,000 feet, topping 183 knots on the ground speed. For a venture capitalist based in San Francisco, the jaunt north to the state capital raises eyebrows, especially given the timing.

The trip coincides with heightened scrutiny of California's proposed Billionaire Tax Act, a one-time 5% levy on billionaires' net worth that qualified for the November 2026 ballot last month after gathering over 1.5 million signatures, per CBS News reporting on April 27. Sacks, who has called the measure an 'asset seizure' in a January CNBC interview, has been outspoken against it, warning it could drive the wealthy out of state. With Sacramento as the epicenter of such policy fights, the visit suggests possible meetings with lawmakers or stakeholders to counter the initiative.

This flight fits Sacks' pattern of engaging California's political landscape, even after stepping down as Trump's AI and crypto czar in March to take an advisory role, as covered by Reuters. A PayPal Mafia veteran and Craft Ventures co-founder, he has hinted at leaving the state over tax threats, telling Bloomberg in late 2025 that such policies amount to 'confiscation of net worth.' In a wry twist for the All-In Podcast host, Sacramento beckons not for glamour, but for the gritty work of defending his fortune.