Kevin O'Leary thinks America has a financial literacy problem, and he believes the Trump administration might have the solution. The investor and television personality is throwing his support behind a nationwide child investment policy that would automatically put money to work for every American kid from day one.

Investing in Kids from Birth

On Saturday, O'Leary took to X to promote what he calls the "Trump account," a policy that would automatically invest funds in a child's account from birth, with the money locked away for 18 years. The idea is simple: let compound interest do its thing while kids grow up.

"We improved math. We improved reading. We failed at financial literacy. Today, over 100 million Americans have no real plan for their future. This idea changes that," O'Leary wrote.

In a video accompanying his post, he painted a picture of how this could ease the burden on families. "You're basically making an investment not just in an individual that's born, in their family. The burden of a family to educate or help a child launch can be really difficult, particularly if you have a large one."

His pitch gets to the heart of the matter: "Let the power of the world's largest economy go to work for a child for 18 years and stand back in awe and see what happens."

O'Leary stressed that this isn't some partisan talking point. He called the policy "bipartisan, pro-family, pro-entrepreneur, and forward-looking," claiming he couldn't find "anybody, red or blue, that doesn't like this idea."

"This isn't about government dependence. It's about giving people a foundation to stand on," he added.

The Diversification Evangelist

O'Leary's enthusiasm for building financial foundations extends to his investment advice for young adults. He's previously warned against putting all your eggs in one basket, calling concentrated bets the fastest way to wipe out your savings.

His formula is straightforward: spread investments across sectors and companies, keeping no more than 20% in any sector and 5% in a single stock. That way, when the market inevitably takes a turn, you're still standing.

That practical mindset didn't come from nowhere. Long before his Shark Tank fame, O'Leary got a harsh lesson from his stepfather, who told him he wasn't talented enough for creative careers and pushed him toward business and marketing instead. O'Leary took the advice, studied business, launched multiple ventures including a film production company, and eventually built his reputation as an entrepreneur and investor.

The experience taught him something he still preaches today: success means being honest about your strengths and matching what you enjoy with what you're actually good at.