| Woody Johnson | |
| Office: | 66th United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom |
| President: | Donald Trump |
| Term Start: | November 8, 2017 |
| Term End: | January 20, 2021 |
| Predecessor: | Matthew Barzun |
| Successor: | Jane D. Hartley |
| Birth Name: | Robert Wood Johnson IV |
| Birth Date: | 12 April 1947 |
| Birth Place: | New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Party: | Republican |
| Spouse: | |
| Children: | 5 |
| Parents: | Bobby Johnson Betty Wold |
| Relatives: | Christopher Johnson (brother) |
| Education: | University of Arizona (BA) |
Robert Wood Johnson IV (born April 12, 1947) is an American businessman who is co-owner of the New York Jets, he also was the United States ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2017 to 2021. He is a great-grandson of Robert Wood Johnson I, and an heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune.
In 2000 he purchased the New York Jets football team for $635 million, the highest price for a New York professional sports team at that time, and is currently the Jets co-owner alongside his brother, Christopher Johnson. The Jets moved to the new Meadowlands Stadium in 2010, sharing it with the New York Giants. During his tenure as owner, Johnson was also part of the NFL search committee for a new commissioner.
A longtime Republican Party donor, Johnson was a supporter of Donald Trump's presidential campaign, and was appointed by Trump to the post of United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Events during his tenure included Britain's exit from the EU and the relocation of the United States embassy in London. His brother Christopher took over Jets operations during his post.
Upon his return in 2021, Johnson resumed his role as chairman. In 2023, he pursued Aaron Rodgers, with the Jets finalizing a trade deal with the Green Bay Packers in April. In 2022, Johnson made a £2 billion bid for Chelsea F.C. but withdrew from the bidding process later that month.
Johnson was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the son of Betty Johnson (née Wold; 1921-2020)[1] and Robert Wood Johnson III, and the great-grandson of Robert Wood Johnson I, who founded the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical company,[2] along with his brothers James Wood Johnson and Edward Mead Johnson.[3] Robert Wood Johnson IV grew up with four siblings: Keith Johnson, Billy Johnson, Elizabeth "Libet" Johnson, and Christopher Wold Johnson, in northern New Jersey, and attended the Millbrook School. He graduated from the University of Arizona.[4] [5] He worked for J&J for a single summer.[6]
Johnson was the chairman and chief executive of The Johnson Company, Inc., a private investment firm.[7]
In 2006, a Democratic-led Senate subcommittee produced a 370-page report that said that some prominent figures, including Johnson, purchased capital gain losses as a way to reduce their own income tax bills. Johnson settled with the IRS in 2003, agreeing to pay the owed taxes plus interest.[8]
Johnson was the committee president of the Pre-Commissioning Unit for the ship USS New York (LPD-21).[9]
In January 2000, Woody Johnson purchased the New York Jets for $635 million, making it the third-highest price ever paid for a professional sports team at the time, and the highest for a New York professional sports team.[10] As of September 2019, Forbes valued the team at $3.2 billion.[11]
Following his acquisition of the Jets, Johnson moved the team to the newly constructed Meadowlands Stadium, sharing it as an equal partner with the New York Giants. The stadium, later named MetLife Stadium, officially opened on April 10, 2010.[12]
In 2017, upon being appointed the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Johnson's brother, Christopher Johnson, assumed the roles of CEO and acting owner of the Jets.[13] Woody Johnson resumed his position as chairman in 2021 after returning to the United States, with Christopher Johnson becoming vice-chairman.[14] [15]
In January 2023, Johnson expressed the need for a strong quarterback to complement the Jets' robust defense, describing it as the "missing piece" in the team's lineup.[16] Subsequently, Johnson pursued four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers, stating to ESPN the importance of securing the best possible quarterback to lead the team.[17] [18] The Jets also hired Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator, given his strong rapport with Rodgers.[19] On April 24, 2023, it was reported that the Jets were finalizing a trade deal with the Green Bay Packers for Rodgers.[20]
In March 2022, Johnson made a £2 billion bid to purchase London football club Chelsea F.C. from sanctioned billionaire Roman Abramovich.[21] [22] Johnson, who became a fan of the team during his ambassadorship in London, was considered to have an advantage over other bidders like Saudi Media Group due to his familiarity with London and experience in sports management.[23] [24] However, by March 25, it was reported that Johnson was no longer in contention to buy Chelsea F.C.[25]
Johnson also helped the league select a successor to NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.[26] [27]
Johnson is a billionaire.[28] [6] As a fourth-generation descendant of one of the founders of the Johnson & Johnson company, he is one of the heirs of the Johnson family fortune.[6] In a 2017 financial disclosure form, Johnson listed his net worth at $4.2 billion, with most of his wealth tied to his ownership of the Jets and its stadium; he also reported owning at least 1.56 million J&J shares (a stake then valued at more than $50 million).Jets Owner Woody Johnson Is Worth $4.2 Billion, Bloomberg (July 11, 2017). As of April 2024, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index placed his net worth at an estimated $9.92 billion.[6]
By the year 2000, Johnson had given more than $1 million to various Republican candidates and committees. Between 1997 and 1998, he donated $130,000 to the Republican Party, along with donating $22,583 to George W. Bush's 1998 gubernatorial re-election campaign of Texas. He was later a major New York fundraiser for Bush's 2000 presidential campaign.[29]
In May 2008, he orchestrated a fundraiser in New York City that brought in $7 million in a single evening for John McCain's presidential campaign, by far the largest amount collected up to that point by a campaign that had been struggling to raise money. Johnson also provided significant funding to 2008 Republican National Convention host committee; from a $10 million shortfall, Johnson contributed personally and solicited friends to assist in covering the convention deficit.[30] In 2011, Johnson endorsed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the 2012 Republican presidential primaries.[31] In September 2013, Johnson hosted a fundraiser for the Republican National Committee (RNC) at his home in New York City.[32]
By 2016, Johnson had known Donald Trump for about 30 years, with the two men having social connections.[33] Nevertheless, in the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, Johnson initially endorsed Jeb Bush over Trump.[33] In June 2015, Johnson was named the national finance chairman for Bush's campaign.[34] On several occasions, Trump singled out Johnson in a speech attacking Bush for accepting "special interest" money from donors.[33] [35] In May 2016, after Trump became the presumptive nominee, Johnson endorsed Trump for president.[36] [33] He met with Trump at Trump Tower and was named one of the RNC's six finance vice chairmen, responsible for an effort to raise $1 billion on behalf of Trump's campaign.[33] [35]
Johnson had by August 2019 donated $1.5 million to Trump's campaign and inaugural committee.[37] In February 2020, Johnson gave $575,000 to a fundraising committee for Trump's 2020 re-election campaign, and $355,000 to the RNC.[38] In May 2020, he gave $1 million to America First Action, Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC.[38]
On January 8, 2021, Johnson released a statement condemning the 2021 United States Capitol attack.[39]
On January 19, 2017, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he planned to nominate Johnson to become United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom.[40] [41] On June 22, 2017, Trump nominated Johnson for the position.[42] [43] [44] Prior to becoming ambassador, he had no diplomatic experience.[45]
Following a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee,[46] Johnson was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 3, 2017,[47] by voice vote.[43] He was sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence on August 21, 2017, in the Oval Office. Johnson presented his credentials to Queen Elizabeth II on November 8, 2017.[48] [49]
In 2018, Johnson oversaw the relocation of the United States Embassy in London from Grosvenor Square, where it had been since 1938, to a new location in Nine Elms.[50]
During Johnson's tenure, Britain withdrew from the EU. Johnson advocated for a bilateral US-UK trade deal post-Brexit, in line with President Trump's hopes during that time.[51] Johnson had a private dinner with Queen Elizabeth II at Winfield House on March 14, 2019, just two days after British Parliament rejected Theresa May's Brexit plan.[52]
In June 2019, he further stated that a post-Brexit deal between the US and the UK would cover "all things that are traded", including the National Health Service and agricultural sector.[53] In January 2020, Johnson stated that the US was never interested in the NHS, but reiterated American interest in a free-trade deal with the UK.[54]
Johnson advocated for closer agricultural trade between the US and UK, and the deregulation of US food exports to Britain.[55] In March 2019, Johnson wrote an article in the Daily Telegraph saying that chlorinated chicken was a "public safety no-brainer" and that health fears over hormone-fed beef were "myths".[56] This came after he urged the UK to open up to the US agriculture market after the British exit from the European Union and ignore the "smear campaign" of those with "their own protectionist agenda".[57] Johnson was criticized by several British agriculture standard boards, such as the Red Tractor Assurance whose CEO, Jim Moseley stated the UK's food standards were "now under threat from ... the United States food lobby".[58] Minette Batters, president of the UK National Farmers Union, agreed with Johnson's claims that chlorine-rinsed chicken was safe for consumption, but stated that factors such as animal welfare and environmental protection also had to be considered.[59] Batters commented that accepting US agricultural products produced in ways that would be illegal in the UK would "put British producers out of business". The US National Farmers Union maintained that US methods of meat production were "safe", describing criticism as "fear-mongering".
Johnson advised the UK government to ban Huawei from being used in the nation's 5G networks after departing Prime Minister Theresa May approved the company in early 2019.[60] Johnson said that Huawei could represent an economic and security risk, comparing it to "letting a kleptomaniac move into your house."[61] In 2020, after Britain decided to ban Huawei from its 5G mobile networks, Johnson welcomed the decision as a victory for human rights and fair trading practices.[62]
In July 2020, the State Department investigated allegations made by some current and former staff members that accused Johnson of making inappropriate comments about issues concerning race, personal appearance, and Black History Month.[63] [64] [65]
Johnson denied the allegations, asserting that the claims were inconsistent with his values and record. The State Department and the U.S. Embassy in London stood by Johnson, highlighting his professional conduct and dedication to U.S.-UK relations. While an Inspector General report on the matter was pending, Johnson maintained that he had always followed ethical guidelines and that the accusations did not reflect his long-standing principles.[66]
After the investigation, the inspector general issued a report in August 2020 that said that Johnson "sometimes made inappropriate or insensitive comments on topics generally considered Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)-sensitive, such as religion, sex, or color" that could "create an offensive working environment" and violate EEO (antidiscrimination) laws.[67]
The inspector general's office recommended that the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and Office of Civil Rights (S/OCR) coordinate an investigation into Johnson's conduct. S/OCR did so, and found that allegations against Johnson were unsubstantiated.[68]
In February 2018, Johnson as ambassador sought to have the lucrative British Open golf tournament moved to Trump's Turnberry Golf Resort in Scotland, raising the idea with Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell.[45] The New York Times reported, and the former deputy chief of mission at the U.S. embassy in London Lewis Lukens later confirmed, that Trump had asked Johnson to seek British government influence in obtaining the Open for Turnberry.[45] [69] At the time Lukens warned Johnson not to raise the question with the UK government, saying that an attempt to further the president's personal financial interests in this way would be unethical and probably illegal. Johnson did so anyway, unsuccessfully.[45] [69]
In a statement, the British government said that Johnson "made no request of Mr. Mundell regarding the British Open or any other sporting event"; the statement did not say whether Johnson had raised the subject of Turnberry.[45] Johnson did not deny the episode, saying only that he complied with "the ethical rules and requirements of my office"; Trump denied that he had ever spoken to Johnson "about Turnberry."[70] Lukens documented his concerns to State Department officials. Johnson forced out Lukens several months later, before the scheduled end of his tenure in London.[45] The report that Johnson used his position as ambassador to promote the president's personal business interests sparked an inquiry by the State Department inspector general's office.[38] In an interview in August 2020, Lukens said that the inspector general's report had halted without a public report being issued, which he considered unusual.[69]
In 2023, Johnson gave at least $1 million to a super PAC backing Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.[71] [72] He stood behind Trump at an election-night rally during the 2024 South Carolina primary.[73]
In 1977, Johnson married former fashion model Nancy Sale Johnson. They had three children before divorcing in 2001. In early 2010, daughter Casey Johnson died of diabetic ketoacidosis.[74] He started a research foundation, the Alliance for Lupus Research, after his daughter Jaime was found to have lupus.[75]
In 2009, Johnson married Suzanne Ircha, a former actress and equities managing director at Sandler O'Neill & Partners.[76] [77] They have two children.[78] Suzanne's father emigrated from Ternopil, Ukraine after World War II, and her mother was a first-generation Ukrainian American.[79] She grew up in a Ukrainian neighborhood in Greenwich Village.[80]
Johnson has homes in Bedminster Township, New Jersey,[81] and Palm Beach island in Florida, residing in the latter since 2020.[82] He formerly had an apartment in Manhattan,[81] but sold the unit (a two-floor duplex at 834 Fifth Avenue) in 2014 to billionaire Leonard Blavatnik for $80 million, setting a record for the costliest co-op ever sold in New York.[83]
Johnson is known for philanthropy, especially donations to medical research. He raised money and lobbied to increase federal funding for lupus and diabetes.[84] Johnson is also a trustee of the Robert Wood Johnson Jr. Charitable Trust. He is the only member of the Johnson family to be invited to join the board of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.[85]
Johnson was the chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International. He and his wife became involved with diabetes charities after his daughter Casey was diagnosed with diabetes in 1988. In 1994, he co-wrote the book Managing Your Child's Diabetes with his wife Nancy, and Casey.[86] As of 2000, he had donated $12 million to the foundation. Johnson was a chairman on the Council on Foreign Relations, and successfully lobbied Congress to approve a five-year, $750 million package for funding diabetes research in 2002.[87]
Casey died of diabetic ketoacidosis on January 4, 2010.[88] On October 24, 2012 Johnson wrote an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal titled "The Folly of Defunding Diabetes Research", which urged Congress to approve long-term funding for the Special Diabetes Program.[89] He visited the University of Birmingham in 2018 to discuss the university's diabetes research and research library.[90]
Johnson is the founding chairman of the Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR).[91] He founded the legacy organization, Alliance for Lupus Research, in 1999 after his daughter Jaime[92] was diagnosed with lupus, and he realized that there was a lack of research in that area.[93]
During the ongoing 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Johnson and his wife Suzanne, who comes from a Ukrainian background, have organized aid efforts for Ukraine.[94] Their family visited Poland, which is the primary destination for Ukrainian refugees displaced by the crisis.[95] While in Poland, they made visits to community centers, shelters, and orphanages housing Ukrainian refugees. In an article for The Telegraph, Johnson urged the United States and the United Kingdom to aid Ukraine.
In April 2022, the Jets pledged a $1 million donation to Ukraine, to be distributed to various organizations, including Plast Scouting USA and United24.[96] [97] [98]