President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1962.
Darren McCollester/Getty
The White House has celebrated Christmas since the administration of John Adams in 1800.
First ladies traditionally oversee decorating the White House for Christmas.
Melania Trump's White House Christmas decorations this year are themed "Home Is Where The Heart Is."
December means homes across America are decking the halls, and the White House is no exception.
Ever since President John Adams and first lady Abigail Adams hosted the first White House Christmas party in 1800, first families have partaken in festive holiday traditions while in office.
First ladies have traditionally chosen a theme for the White House Christmas decorations and overseen the planning process, a practice that began with Jacqueline Kennedy.
This year, first lady Melania Trump decorated the White House around the theme "Home Is Where The Heart Is" in a scaled-back display following the demolition of the East Wing in October.
Take a look at how the occupants of the White House have celebrated Christmas through the years.
The White House halls have been decked for the holidays every December since John and Abigail Adams held the first White House Christmas party in 1800.
The White House in the 1800s.
American Stock Archive/Getty Images
The Adams' White House Christmas party was held in honor of their 4-year-old granddaughter, Susanna Boylston Adams, according to the White House Historical Association.
Every president has brought their own traditions into the White House.
The Cleveland Family tree in the second floor Oval Room of the White House.
White House Historical Association
Grover Cleveland, for example, lit up the first electric lights on a Christmas tree at the White House to the delight of his young daughters.
Calvin Coolidge was the first president to host a public Christmas celebration at the White House, with the first National Christmas Tree lighting in 1923.
President Calvin Coolidge at the National Christmas Tree lighting.
Library of Congress
Over 6,000 people attended the first National Christmas Tree lighting.
The president's participation in the tree lighting ceremony has been a yearly tradition since then.
The 1929 National Christmas Tree.
Library of Congress
This year's National Christmas Tree lighting will air on Great American Family on December 5, a day after the live event.
Glowing trees lit up the North Portico of the White House in 1931.
Lighted Christmas trees in front of the White House in Washington on Dec. 25, 1931.
AP
A Christmas wreath also glowed above the door.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt spent 10 consecutive Christmas holidays in the White House throughout his four terms.
The tree in the East Room during the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1936.
Library of Congress
The East Room featured a Christmas tree decorated with string lights and tinsel.
Roosevelt invited four generations of family into the White House for Christmas.
FDR with two of his grandchildren on Christmas Day, 1939.
AP
Roosevelt's children and grandchildren enjoyed spending Christmas Eve at the presidential residence, where they would partake in two of his favorite holiday traditions: hanging stockings and reading "A Christmas Carol," according to the White House Historical Association.
Children joined Roosevelt at the White House to ring in Christmas with carols in 1940.
Children Singing Christmas Carol To President Franklin Roosevelt At White House In Washington, November 1940.
Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
First lady Eleanor Roosevelt also invited Girl Scouts to sing carols with her in the East Room in 1936.
President Harry Truman welcomed some unusual guests to the White House in December 1948 when he was gifted turkeys for his Christmas dinner.
President Truman inspects two turkeys as one spreads its wings and places a foot across the Chief executive's arm on the White House porch in Washington, D.C., Dec. 13, 1948. The turkeys were gifts for the president's Christmas dinner from the Poultry and Egg National Board and the National Turkey Federation.
William J. Smith/AP
The turkeys were gifted to him by the Poultry and Egg National Board and the National Turkey Federation.
President Dwight Eisenhower and first lady Mamie Eisenhower posed with their family in 1958 on the North Portico of the White House.
In this Dec. 19, 1958, file photo President Dwight Eisenhower and first lady Mamie Eisenhower pose with their family on the Christmas tree-lighted North Portico of the White House in Washington.
Bill Allen/File/AP
The North Portico featured two lit Christmas trees.
Eisenhower's family also took a Christmas Eve picture in front of a tinsel-covered tree.
Dwight D. Eisenhower and family celebrating Christmas Eve in the White House.
Ed Clark/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
The Eisenhowers had two children, Doud Dwight, nicknamed "Icky," and John.
First lady Jacqueline Kennedy began the tradition of themed White House Christmas decorations.
In this Dec. 13, 1961, file photo Caroline Kennedy wonders at the Christmas tree in the White House Blue Room before a party for White House employees given by her parents. First lady Jacqueline Kennedy began the tradition of a theme for White House Christmases when she chose to decorate the Blue Room tree with items evoking Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite."
Henry Burroughs/File/AP
In 1961, decorations themed around Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite" took over the Blue Room, enthralling first daughter Caroline Kennedy.
In 1962, the White House Christmas tree was decorated with ornaments inspired by children, including candy canes and gingerbread cookies.
President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1962.
Darren McCollester/Getty
The tree also reused many of the Nutcracker ornaments from the previous year.
A holiday banner was hung for the annual Christmas Pageant of Peace on the White House Ellipse in 1963.
President Lyndon Johnson’s helicopter raises off the White House South grounds in Washington, as he departs for New York and a speech before the United Nations on Dec. 17, 1963. Sign framing the scene is at gate to capital’s annual Christmas Pageant of Peace on the Ellipse. Flag over executive mansion flies at half-state during last days of national mourning over the death of President Kennedy.
Henry Burroughs/AP
Flags were ordered to fly half-mast through December, mourning the death of Kennedy in November.
The Johnson family's White House Christmas decorations included a 5-foot red, green, and gold piñata in 1964.
The Johnson family has given a Spanish-Indian touch to this year's White House Christmas decorations. This piñata holiday ornament was photographed today hanging over a mirror in the front hall. It is a red, green, and gold smiling sunburst, five feet in diameter, a traditional decoration in most Latin American countries and Mexico.
Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images
Piñatas are a traditional holiday ornament in Latin American countries.
In 1967, President Lyndon Johnson and first lady Lady Bird Johnson's dog Yuki sniffed their Christmas tree in the Yellow Oval Room.
n this Dec. 24, 1967, file photo President Lyndon Johnson, Lady Bird Johnson, and Yuki, the White House pet, pose beside the family Christmas tree, a Norway spruce, in the Yellow Oval Room on the second floor of the White House in Washington.
File/AP
The Johnsons piled presents underneath the Norway spruce.
Christmas in the Nixon White House was a lively affair.
(Original Caption) Washington: President Nixon and his family pose in front of the Christmas Tree in the Blue Room of the White House on Christmas Eve. They will celebrate the holiday in the Executive Mansion and will be joined later in the day by Mamie Eisenhower and her son and daughter-in-law, former Amb. and Mrs. John Eisenhower. Left to right: Tricia and her husband, Edward Cox; Pres. and Mrs. Nixon; and Julie, and her husband , Ens. David Eisenhower.
Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images
First lady Pat Nixon told Empire Magazine their holiday traditions included the president playing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" on the piano for friends and family.
President Gerald Ford attended the White House Christmas in 1975 with his wife, first lady Betty Ford, and his daughter, Susan Ford.
President Gerald Ford with his wife Betty and daughter Susan in 1975.
Library of Congress
The theme of the White House Christmas decor that year was "Old Fashioned Children's Christmas."
First lady Betty Ford presented the official White House Christmas tree in 1976.
First Lady Betty Ford wife of President Gerald Ford shown in front of the White House Christmas tree in Washington on Dec. 9, 1976.
CT/AP
At that year's lighting, Gerald Ford said that he was proud to have real trees throughout the White House as a former National Parks ranger, according to the National Park Service.
In 1983, the Reagans decorated their tree with ornaments made by two South Korean children they brought to the US on Air Force One for heart surgery.
(Original Caption) President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan hang ornaments here, made for them by the two Korean children that they brought back from Korea on Air Force One for heart surgery, in their residence on December 24th. The Reagans will spend Christmas in the White House before flying to California for the New Year.
Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images
One of the children, Brett Halvorson, reunited with Nancy Reagan in 2007.
"As I was only 4 years old, my memory of Mrs. Reagan is very vague," Halvorson told ABC News in 2016. "But what I do remember is that I felt comfort and love from a woman that was a complete stranger."
For their White House Christmas card, the Reagans commissioned artists to paint holiday scenes from inside the Executive Mansion.
The Reagans decorate a Christmas tree at the White House.
AP
The tradition of sending White House holiday cards dates back to 1927.
The Reagans also incorporated pop culture into their playful decorations.
First lady Nancy Reagan glances towards ALF, an alien life form, during a Christmas party for Children of Washington's diplomatic corp at the White House in 1987.
AP
Nancy Reagan shared a moment with ALF during a children's Christmas party at the White House in 1987.
In 1984, then-second lady Barbara Bush helped place the star on top of the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse.
Mrs. Barbara Bush, wife of U.S. Vice-President George H. Bush and Joseph Riley, president of the Christmas Pageant of Peace committee, place the top ornament on the national Christmas tree on the Ellipse near the White House, Nov. 28, 1984 in Washington.
Ron Edwards/AP
Bush was joined by Joseph Riley, president of the Christmas Pageant of Peace committee.
When the Bushes became occupants of the White House themselves, Christmas was a family affair.
George Bush, the 41st President of the United States, reading a Christmas story to his grandchildren on Christmas Eve at the White House, Washington DC in 1991.
Susan Biddle/Keystone/CNP/Getty Images
George H.W. Bush's grandchildren were treated to a story when they spent Christmas Eve at the White House in 1991.
President George Bush celebrated all four of his Christmases as president at Camp David.
George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush in front of a Christmas tree at the White House.
The Clinton White House had plenty of edible decorations each year.
AP
Over the course of several years, the Clintons enjoyed gingerbread house versions of the Washington Monument, Mount Vernon, and even a replica of Hillary Clinton's childhood home.
In 1994, Hillary Clinton decorated the White House around the theme "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton displays ornaments on the White House Christmas tree in the Blue Room of the White House in Washington, Dec. 5, 1994.
Wilfredo Lee/AP
The ornaments on the Official White House Christmas Tree were designed by schoolchildren across the US and the National Society of Tole and Decorative Painters, The New York Times reported.
In 2001, President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush read books to local schoolchildren surrounded by Christmas trees decorated with lights and fake snow.
UNITED STATES – DECEMBER 10: First Lady Laura Bush reads "Take a Mouse to the Movies" to school children in the East Room of the White House as President George W. Bush listens in. The students are from Hoffman-Boston Elementary School in Arlington, Va., over which American Airlines Flight 77 passed prior to crashing into the Pentagon. The President then read '"Twas The Night Before Christmas."
Harry Hamburg/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images
The president and first lady hosted students from Hoffman-Boston Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia, which American Airlines Flight 77 flew over before it crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
Laura Bush chose a "Red, White and Blue Christmas" theme for their final Christmas in the White House.
WASHINGTON – DECEMBER 03: The official White House Christmas tree stands in the Blue Room of the White House during a media preview of the 2008 holiday decorations December 3, 2008 in Washington, DC. The White House 2008 holiday theme is "A Red, White and Blue Christmas." More than 60,000 visitors are expected to tour the holiday decorations.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
The patriotic theme was inspired by letters the president and first lady received following the September 11 attacks.
In 2009, first lady Michelle Obama decorated the White House around the theme "Reflect, Rejoice, Renew."
WASHINGTON – DECEMBER 02: Christmas trees are seen on the State Floor during the media preview of the White House holiday decorations December 2, 2009 at the White House in Washington, DC. The theme for the 2009 White House holiday decorations is "Reflect Rejoice Renew."
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Christmas trees on the State Floor shone with lights and ribbons.
In 2011, she chose the theme "Shine, Give, Share."
WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 30: Gold stars and ribbon hang from the ceiling of the hallway on the ground floor during the first viewing of the 2011 White House Christmas decorations November 30, 2011 in Washington, DC. The theme, "Shine Give, Share," runs throught the White House with a 400-pound White House Gingerbread House and 37 Christmas trees, including the official 18-foot 6-inch balsam fir tree in the Blue Room that honors Blue Star military families.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
In keeping with the "Shine" element, gold star decorations adorned the hallway on the White House's ground floor.
For the Obamas' last year in the White House, larger-than-life replicas of their dogs Bo and Sunny added a playful and personal touch to the decorations.
Larger than life replicas of Bo and Sunny, made of more than 25,000 yarn pom-poms, are displayed in the East Wing Hallway of the White House during a preview of the 2016 holiday decor at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, in Washington.
Andrew Harnik/AP
The replicas were made with over 25,000 yarn pom-poms.
First lady Melania Trump's non-traditional Christmas decorations in 2017 created a stark scene in the East Wing.
US First Lady Melania Trump walks through Christmas decorations in the East Wing as she tours holiday decorations at the White House in Washington, DC, on November 27, 2017.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
Not everyone was a fan of Melania Trump's ghostly white branches in the East Colonnade, which sparked a series of memes.
Melania Trump's crimson topiary trees, part of the 2018 theme "American Treasures," also garnered criticism.
Topiary trees line the East colonnade during the 2018 Christmas Press Preview at the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018.
Carolyn Kaster/AP
"We are in the 21st century and everybody has a different taste. I think they look fantastic," Melania Trump said in response to criticism of the decorations. "I hope everybody will come over and visit it. In real life they look even more beautiful and you are all very welcome to visit the White House, the people's house."
She opted for a more traditional approach with her 2019 decorations, which had the theme "The Spirit of America."
Christmas decorations are on display in the Grand Foyer at the White House December 2, 2019 in Washington, DC. The White House expects to host 100 open houses and more than 30,000 guests who will tour the topiary trees, architectural models of major U.S. cities, the Gold Star family tree and national monuments in gingerbread.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
The Grand Foyer was lit up with green Christmas trees covered in fake snow and white lights that shone overhead to make "a glistening winter garden," the White House said.
In 2020, Melania Trump went with the theme "America The Beautiful," offering a "tribute to the majesty of our great Nation."
The Cross Hall of the White House is decorated for the Christmas season Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020.
Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks
Small details throughout honored themes like 100 years of the 19th Amendment and wildlife in the US.
In 2021, first lady Jill Biden chose the theme "Gifts from the Heart" for the White House Christmas decorations.
A Marine White House Military band plays Christmas music at the East Wing entrance of the White House during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations in Washington, DC on November 29, 2021.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden wrote in the 2021 White House Holiday Guide that "Gifts from the Heart" such as faith, family, friendship, and unity "tie together the heart strings of our lives."
Christmas trees in the State Dining Room featured photos of the Bidens, as well as past presidential families.
Christmas trees in the State Dining Room are decorated with snapshots of U.S. presidents and their families, here the Obamas and Bidens, during a press tour of White House Christmas decorations ahead of holiday receptions by U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden in Washington, U.S. November 29, 2021.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Presidents Donald Trump, Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy, and Franklin D. Roosevelt were pictured with their families.
In the East Colonnade, clear blue circles and dove-shaped cutouts lined the windows, and glowing stars dangled from the ceiling.
Decorations are seen in the White House East Colonnade during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations in Washington, DC on November 29, 2021.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
The doves and shooting stars represented "peace and light brought to us all by the service of frontline workers and first responders during the pandemic," according to the White House Holiday Guide.
Wreaths in the China Room featured stars comprised of interlocking hands.
Wreaths of interlocking hands adorn the chairs of a table set with the Obama china in the China Room during a press tour of White House Christmas decorations ahead of holiday receptions by U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden in Washington, U.S. November 29, 2021
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
The China Room displays tableware and china sets used by past presidential families. As part of the 2021 White House Christmas decorations, the Bidens displayed the Obama china.
The Grand Foyer and the Cross Hall decorations centered on the "Gift of Faith and Community."
A White House Military social aide walks through the Cross Hall of the White House during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations in Washington, DC on November 29, 2021.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
"The hallway alcoves and tree displays depict wintry scenes of life within our towns and cities, reflecting the solace of faith, the lasting bonds of community, and the perseverance of the American spirit," the White House Holiday Guide read.
The theme of the 2022 White House Christmas decorations was "We the People."
WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 28: Christmas decorations are displayed at the East Wing entrance of the White House during a press preview of the holiday décor on November 28, 2022 in Washington, DC. The theme for the 2022 White House Holiday Season is “We the People.”
Alex Wong/Getty Images
"For this year's holidays at the White House, we hope to capture the spirit embodied in the very idea of America: We the People," the first lady wrote in a welcome letter in the 2022 White House Holiday Guide. "During your visit to the People's House, through rooms full of history and holiday décor, in the mirrored ornaments and reflective lights, our hope is that you feel at home and find yourself in the great story of America."
Wintry trees and white lanterns lined the East Colonnade.
WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 28: Christmas decorations are displayed at the White House during a press preview of the holiday décor on November 28, 2022 in Washington, DC. The theme for the 2022 White House Holiday Season is “We the People.”
Alex Wong/Getty Images
The decorations were meant to evoke "the feelings of peace and tranquility after the first snowfall," according to the 2022 White House Holiday Guide.
Renderings of White House pets Commander and Willow were shown enjoying holiday gifts in the Vermeil Room.
Decorations depicting U.S. President Joe Biden's dog Commander and cat Willow are seen as Christmas decorations on the theme "We the People" are unveiled during a press tour ahead of holiday receptions by President Biden and first lady Jill Biden, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. November 28, 2022.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
The White House pets were depicted sitting in gift boxes from Operation Gratitude, a non-profit organization that delivers care packages to deployed troops, first responders, and military families.
In keeping with the "We the People" theme, the gingerbread White House also featured a gingerbread model of Independence Hall.
Christmas decorations on the theme "We the People" are unveiled during a press tour ahead of holiday receptions by U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. November 28, 2022.
Jonathan Ernst
Located in the State Dining Room, the gingerbread White House took 20 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 30 sheets of gingerbread dough, 30 pounds of chocolate, and 40 pounds of royal icing to construct.
The Bidens also added the first-ever menorah to the White House Christmas decorations in 2022.
A menorah in the Cross Hall of the White House.
Patrick Semansky/AP
The menorah was created with leftover wood from a Truman-era White House renovation and added to the White House's permanent collection.
In 2023, Jill Biden chose the theme "Magic, Wonder, and Joy."
Candy-themed decorations in the East Colonnade in 2023.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
The theme was a tribute to "how children experience this festive season," according to the 2023 White House Holiday Guide.
The decorations featured nods to candy, Advent calendars, Santa Claus, and other nostalgic childhood holiday traditions.
The Grand Foyer of the White House in 2023.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Santa's sleigh, pulled by reindeer, stretched across the Grand Foyer of the White House.
For the Bidens' final Christmas as president and first lady, Jill Biden decorated the White House around the theme "A Season of Peace and Light."
The East Entrance of the White House.
Susan Walsh/AP
"As we celebrate our final holiday season here in the White House, we are guided by the values we hold sacred: faith, family, service to our country, kindness towards our neighbors, and the power of community and connection," the Bidens wrote in the 2024 White House Holiday Guide.
White dove cutouts were featured in the Cross Hall and the Red Room, symbolizing peace.
The Cross Hall.
Susan Walsh/AP
The ceiling decorations were also intended to evoke falling snow.
In 2025, Melania Trump returned to the White House and offered a scaled-back Christmas display after the demolition of the East Wing.
The North Portico Stairs at the White House.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The East Entrance and East Colonnade, once large canvases for White House Christmas decorations, were demolished to make way for Donald Trump's planned ballroom.
Instead of entering through the East Entrance, tours began at the North Portico.
The Official White House Christmas Tree in the Blue Room featured AI-generated and 3D printed ornaments.
Ornaments on the Official White House Christmas Tree.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The ornaments were decorated with the official bird and flower of every US state and territory.
The Red Room contained 10,000 butterfly cutouts.
The Red Room of the White House.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The Red Room's Christmas tree was adorned with ornaments highlighting Melania Trump's Fostering the Future program, part of her Be Best campaign focused on children's wellness.
Unlike in past years, the White House Christmas display did not include the China Room, the Vermeil Room, or the White House Library.
The East Room of the White House.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The East Room featured a patriotic display of red, white, and blue Christmas tree ornaments and golden eagle tree toppers in collaboration with America250 in recognition of America's semiquincentennial in 2026.
However, the White House Creche that is usually displayed there was undergoing restoration. Only a portion of the Nativity scene, which dates back to the 18th century, was featured in the Grand Foyer.
In the doc, O'Day describes receiving sexually explicit messages from the disgraced music mogul and reads an affidavit of an eyewitness account of her being sexually assaulted by Diddy and another man while she looked "very inebriated."
"Does this mean I was raped?" O'Day says in the docuseries. "I don't even know if I was raped, and I don't want to know."
Combs, who pleaded not guilty, was ultimately convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and is serving a 50-month prison sentence. He was acquitted of the most serious charges, including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking by force or fraud, and is set to be released in May 2028. The allegations related to O'Day were not part of the criminal trial; Combs has denied all wrongdoing in the civil cases.
Combs' spokesperson Juda Engelmayer told Business Insider the Netflix docuseries is "a shameful hit piece," pointing in particular to the fact that it counts Diddy's rap rival Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson among its executive producers.
Netflix disagreed with the characterization. "The claims being made about 'Sean Combs: The Reckoning' are false," a Netflix spokesperson told Business Insider. "This is not a hit piece or an act of retribution."
The Diddy doc director says O'Day's story shows 'the gray area' of the Combs saga
Diddy performs with Danity Kane in 2006.
Peter Kramer/Getty Images
O'Day, a former member of the girl group Danity Kane, which was formed by Combs for the 2005 MTV series "Making the Band," is first seen in the docuseries reading an email Combs sent her in 2008, the year she was fired from the group.
In it, he says, "I don't wanna just fuck you. I want to turn you out." He ends the email by saying he's going to finish masturbating while watching porn and thinking of her.
Later in the docuseries, O'Day reads an affidavit from one of the civil lawsuits of an alleged Combs victim. It states that this woman witnessed O'Day being sexually assaulted by Combs and another man in 2005.
While opening doors looking for the restroom, the woman said she opened one door to find Combs and the other man in sexual acts with O'Day, who was "sprawled out on a leather couch, looking very inebriated." The woman wrote in the affidavit that she is "100% certain" that the person was O'Day.
O'Day says in the docuseries that she has no memory of this and sought out the eyewitness to speak to her.
"Even after I told her I didn't have a recollection of this, I said, 'Could she be making a mistake?' I asked in every way I possibly could think of, and she was certain," O'Day says in the doc.
O'Day adds that she hadn't spoken out about the incident previously out of fear that Combs and his team would discredit the woman who wrote the affidavit.
"You realize the burden that that puts on my soul for the past year, which is if I expose one victim who's got a civil lawsuit, that gives Diddy and his legal team credit to take down everybody else as potential liars," O'Day said. "It goes right back on my shoulders, just like that."
Stapleton, the director, told Business Insider that O'Day's revelations in the docuseries spotlight "the gray area" in the Combs legal saga.
"Her stories are really very, very complicated," she said. "It took a lot of conversations for her to feel like, 'I want to be public about this.'"
"It was never about not sharing it; it was more potentially, 'How do I present to the world that this isn't a binary feeling that I have? That I'm not going to sit here and say yes, this is absolutely true when I don't know if it's true, and also be like this is total BS when part of me feels, what if it is true?'" Stapleton said. "Aubrey, in real time, was trying to figure out."
O'Day did not respond to a request for comment.
"Sean Combs: The Reckoning" is streaming now on Netflix.
RetrievAir bills itself as a better way to travel with large dogs.
Courtesy of RetrievAir
RetrievAir CEO Benton Miller secured funding on "Shark Tank" for his new pet airline.
The model allows large dogs to fly in the cabin with their owners, instead of an airline underbelly.
Miller wants RetrievAir to be accessible to the everyday pet owner. Fares average $775 per seat.
Traveling with large dogs is a nightmare. Airline restrictions force heavier dogs into the often unsafe cargo hold, and only the uberrich can afford to ferry their furbabies on a private jet.
Frustrated by how hard it was to fly with his own Labradors, Maple and Willow — and often having to leave them behind — entrepreneur Benton Miller founded RetrievAir, a pet airline that lets oversized dogs (or any-sized dog or cat) ride in the cabin alongside their owners.
In an interview with Business Insider, Miller said the pet-air-travel sector represents a $5.5 billion US market with plenty of room for more players. RetrievAir fares average $775 per seat.
Miller recently turned to ABC's "Shark Tank" reality show for funding and secured $776,000 from guest Shark and Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian in exchange for a 15% stake — a nod to Ohanian's "Seven Seven Six" venture fund. Ohanian has a 100-pound dog named Adora.
Miller said Ohanian "understands burn" because of his tech background and "knows how to scale to a billion-dollar company." RetrievAir, which launched in May, secured over $500,000 in sales within weeks of opening bookings.
Some veteran Sharks, including Kevin O'Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, were skeptical of RetrievAir's $80,000-a-week operating costs. But Miller said sales have since picked up, more cities have been added, and some routes — like New York to Florida — are even selling out.
RetrievAir is not your typical flight experience: Customers book flights online, but instead of navigating a crowded terminal, flyers and their pets meet at a small private airport about 45 minutes before takeoff. Security is faster and tailored to animals.
Check-in is faster than at a major airport because there are fewer people.
Courtesy of RetrievAir
The pets don't have to be caged and stuffed under the seat in front of you, and Miller said the chartered 30-seater Embraer E135 jet was modified from a 50-seater — giving each seat ample room for humans and animals to spread out.
Dogs over 40 pounds must sit in a paid, assigned seat next to their owner. Lighter pets can sit on their owner's lap or at their feet, and each seat has a leash to secure the animal.
And there's a flight attendant — trained in basic pet behavior — to keep everyone safe, watered, and full of treats.
Miller said the white noise from the engines relaxes most dogs, and they commonly sleep during the flight. They recommend owners of more anxious dogs bring a familiar toy or blanket to help comfort them.
Dogs must have their Rabies vaccine to fly. Luggage, snacks, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are included for human passengers.
The plane makes a pit stop on the ground every two hours so the animals can use the bathroom (Miller said pet accidents are rare) and the jet can be cleaned. A flight from New York to Denver, for example, would stop in Chicago.
It's less convenient than a nonstop, but it serves two purposes: It protects the health and comfort of the animals, and it allows RetrievAir to sell the trip as one long, single itinerary or split it into individual legs to capture more potential customers.
Oversized dogs need their own seat.
Courtesy of RetrievAir
Pet-focused public charter carriers aren't new. Companies like BarkAir and K9 Jets already schedule shared flights for humans and their pets. Miller said Ohanian's involvement — paired with RetrievAir's efficiency-focused model — has helped put the company on a stronger footing.
"We've had profitable days, profitable weeks," he said. However, he added that their load factor, or the percentage of seats sold, still does not consistently reach the 50% level needed across all routes to reliably generate revenue.
Still, he said he's focused on keeping the service accessible to everyday pet owners by offering lower fares and opening new routes, while maintaining the semi-private jet experience that makes the model work.
Fares range from $300 to over $3,000 per seat
Miller said the average fare is around $775 one-way per seat.
Some shorter upcoming trips, like New York to Washington, DC, in February 2026, are priced as low as $300. He said the lower DC price is possible because the plane flies into a smaller, less expensive airport about 30 miles from the city.
This could be a pain for travelers, but Miller said the location saves money. He added that he prefers these out-of-the-way airports because they're also less congested and cover broader areas.
"Waukegan National Airport in Illinois is 45 minutes north of Chicago, but it's also 45 minutes from Milwaukee," Miller said, adding that smaller airports also reduce the risk of air-traffic delays.
RetrievAir is attractive to people who don't want to book their large dogs into cargo.
Courtesy of RetrievAir
Some RetrievAir trips are more expensive, such as the New York to Los Angeles route, which costs a little over $3,000 one-way per seat in February, or around $6,000 if the dog is over 40 pounds and requires its own seat.
That compares with the roughly $6,700 one-way ticket on BarkAir or K9 Jets on the same route for one seat. The two competitors charter Bombardier and Gulfstream jets that are half the capacity or smaller than the Embraer jet that RetrievAir uses.
RetrievAir flies to six US destinations and plans to add six more in 2026. Unlike both BarkAir and K9Jets, RetrievAir does not fly internationally, but plans to do so in the future. Miller said Seattle is among its highest-requested destinations.
"There are more pets than kids in the city," he said. "Seattle attracts Canadians, especially in the Vancouver area, who may have a vacation home in Arizona or California and need our service."
Specific boarding and seating strategies
RetrievAir's Embraer jet is operated by the third-party carrier RVR Aviation. Miller's team handles scheduling and bookings, while RVR manages the aircraft, maintenance, and crew.
The plane has three seats per row: a single seat on one side of the aisle (seat A) and two seats on the other (seats B and C). Miller said dogs up to 40 pounds can share their owner's seat space and are placed in the A seats by the window.
RetrievAir used local and national treat brands.
Courtesy of RetrievAir
Bigger dogs, however, need their own seat and are placed in B and C with their owner — with the pup riding in the window seat and away from where they could more easily sniff their neighbor.
Miller said there are precautions to ensure that aggressive or reactive dogs are kept away from other pets, like boarding back to front to minimize interactions. Pets and their owners are denied boarding if the crew anticipates an issue.
"There's a bit of an honor system when booking, that's when we ask for the temperament of the pup," Miller said. "We will talk with the owner if the pet is not friendly, but if we think the pup may be too aggressive, we will ask them not to fly and refund their ticket."
On Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was on form and recorded a small gain. The benchmark index rose 0.2% to 8,595.2 points.
Will the market be able to build on this on Thursday? Here are five things to watch:
ASX 200 expected to rise again
The Australian share market looks set to rise again on Thursday following a decent night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 16 points or 0.2% higher this morning. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is up 1%, the S&P 500 is up 0.4%, and the Nasdaq is 0.25% higher.
Oil prices push higher
ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a good session on Thursday after oil prices pushed higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.55% to US$58.95 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 0.35% to US$62.68 a barrel. Traders were buying oil after Russia-Ukraine peace talks failed to reach a breakthrough.
Buy 4D Medical shares
Analysts at Bell Potter think that 4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) shares are a buy for investors with a high risk tolerance. This morning, the broker has retained its speculative buy rating on the lung imaging technology provider’s shares with an improved price target of $2.50. It said: “We expect further wins from the 4D Medical sales team being mainly expansion of existing license arrangement to include fee for service revenues for CTVQ.”
Gold price rises
It could be a good session for ASX 200 gold shares including Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) on Thursday after the gold price pushed higher. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 0.35% to US$4,235.5 an ounce. This was driven by increasing US rate cut bets after the release of weak payroll data.
Buy Harvey Norman shares
Bell Potter thinks investors should be buying Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN) shares. This morning, the broker has named the retail giant as one of its high conviction picks with a buy rating and $8.30 price target. It said: “Despite the strong re-rate in the name, HVN trades at ~2.0x market capitalisation to freehold property value as Australia’s single largest owner in large format retail with a global portfolio surpassing $4.5b and collectively owning ~40% of their stores (franchised in Australia and company operated offshore). This sees our view that of the 1-year forward ~19x P/E multiple as justified considering the multiple catalysts near/mid-term.”
Should you invest $1,000 in 4DMedical Limited right now?
Before you buy 4DMedical Limited shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and 4DMedical Limited wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Harvey Norman. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
With emerging headwinds for consumer discretionary shares, analysts at Bell Potter have provided updated guidance on where to look within a choppy sector.
Despite economists now tipping an increase for the cash rate at this month’s RBA meeting, Bell Potter still sees opportunity for a few consumer discretionary shares.
Sector overview
In the broker’s Monthly Bell report, the analyst team said they have seen varying performance recently between discretionary categories with technology/electronics, wellness & sports and services such as cafes & recreation leading the way.
Meanwhile others such as mass apparel & lifestyle footwear and furniture & household goods are lagging.
While the pause in interest rate cuts in Australia limits catalysts for the Consumer Discretionary sector, we continue to prefer key beneficiaries from the rate cuts seen so far and category outperformers. We continue to look for retailers with differentiating customer value propositions & balance sheet strength and support names who may grow via market share expansion with more diverse customer demographics.
The report said to expect another year of growth in the promotional period around Black Friday. Beneficiaries are expected to be technology products, household appliances and gifting driven purchases.
The 2025 projections for the Black Friday seasonal period in Australia (as per Roy Morgan and Australian Retailers Association) sees a further 4% increase in the 4-day weekend retail spend compared to a 3% increase in 2024.
The broker listed three high conviction consumer discretionary with buy recommendations.
Bell Potter said key drivers for business growth are its continued store-rollout targeting a network of 25+ stores, along with its private label brands and high-margin retail media arm contributing to margin expansion and thus a strong earnings trajectory.
It views this consumer discretionary stock as well positioned to take advantage of the high performing beauty category within the Australian market.
As a leading household goods retailer in Australia and growing presence globally, Bell Potter said Harvey Norman has seen modest growth in its independent franchisee base in Australia and expanded its company operated global store print over the last 5 years.
It sees Harvey Norman as one of the most diversified retailers in terms of both categories and regions, while benefitting from both as a quasi-retailer/landlord and channel mix via company operated stores and franchising.
The company has ~85 stores under its flagship ‘Universal Store’ brand and is expanding private label brands by growing the stand-alone format of ‘Perfect Stranger’ and ‘Thrills’ with more than 100 stores in total.
Bell Potter said at ~18x FY26e P/E (BPe), it sees Universal Store shares as trading at a discount to the ASX300 peer group. Its optimism is justified by the distinctive growth traits supporting consistent outperformance in a challenging category, longer term opportunity with three brands, organic gross margin expansion via private label product penetration (currently ~55%) and management execution.
Should you invest $1,000 in Adore Beauty Group Limited right now?
Before you buy Adore Beauty Group Limited shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Adore Beauty Group Limited wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Adore Beauty Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Harvey Norman. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Adore Beauty Group and Universal Store. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
Brokers are always looking for buy ideas; the ever-changing share prices (and updates) give investors the opportunities to buy appealing ASX shares that are undervalued.
When a broker thinks a stock is a buy, that’s an interesting signal. When numerous analysts are excited about an ASX share, it could indicate an appealing investment opportunity.
We’re going to look at three of the most buy-rated businesses on the ASX right now.
According to CommSec’s collation of analyst opinions, there are currently 14 buy ratings on the business.
Broker UBS describes Orica as the world’s largest supplier of commercial explosives and blasting systems, servicing both the mining and infrastructure sectors. Its customers are from numerous markets, including Australia, Asia, the Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
UBS is one of the brokers that rates Orica as a buy, with a price target of $27. That suggests a possible rise of 11% over the next year from where it is at the time of writing.
The broker noted that the ASX share’s recent FY25 result saw operating profit (EBIT) growth across all segments, reflecting improvements in the mix of products and the margin.
Pleasingly, FY26 guidance suggests EBIT growth across all segments. UBS wrote:
Orica is positively leveraged to resilient global mine production activity, and supportive AN prices given relatively balanced global supply. We expect mix and margin improvements from the uptake of premium blasting solutions and technology services, and the integration of recent acquisitions, to drive a 3yr EPS CAGR of +8% (FY25-28E). We see ongoing P/E re-rate potentialâ¦
According to CommSec’s collation of analyst opinions, there are currently 10 buy ratings on one of Australia’s largest supermarket businesses and a large player in the liquor space.
UBS is one of the brokers that rates Coles shares as a buy, with a price target of $25. That implies a possible rise of more than 12% within the next year.
The broker likes the business following the company’s FY26 first-quarter update. Coles’ total sales grew 3.9% to $10.96 billion, which is more than what UBS was expecting.
UBS highlighted in a note how Coles is outperforming rival Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), along with the benefit of automated distribution centres (ADCs) and customer fulfillment centres (CFCs):
We remain confident superior execution continues as COL leverages recent investments (eg, Witron ADCs – improved availability in NSW & QLD; Ocado CFCs – drove 28% 1Q26 online growth [WOW +13%], with all missions performing well), plus ongoing promotional effectiveness (fewer, better) & sound ranging (increasingly store-led), with these both supply chain enabled.
UBS forecasts $1.25 billion of net profit in FY26 for Coles.
According to CommSec’s collation of analyst opinions, there are currently nine buy ratings on the business.
QBE is an insurance business with a presence in North America, Australia and the Pacific, and international.
UBS has a buy rating on the ASX share, with a price target of $24.15. That implies a possible rise of 26% over the next year, at the time of writing.
The broker noted that the 2025 third-quarter update showed FY25’s earnings and the outlook for FY26 “continue to track in-line with expectations” despite a softening in the premium rate cycle.
UBS noted:
With FY26E COR [combined operating ratio] guidance of ~92.5%… supporting a ~16% ROE outlook, mid-single digit volume growth ambitions retained, investment yields stabilising and A$450m buyback announced (~1.5% shares), its FY26E earnings outlook remains well underpinned. At a 10x FY26E PE (0.54x ASX200, 18% disc to 5yr avg) we continue to see compelling value and retain a Buy rating.
Should you invest $1,000 in Coles Group Limited right now?
Before you buy Coles Group Limited shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Coles Group Limited wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
Whilst there’s nothing wrong with buying blue chip stocks like NAB or Telstra, these shares are currently trading on rather low dividend yields, at least compared to what has, on average, been on offer in years gone by.
The BetaShares Dividend Harvester Active ETF (ASX: HVST) is currently trading on a trailing dividend yield of 5.86%.
What’s more, this passive income stock pays out a dividend 12 times a year. Yep, HVST owners get a passive income paycheque every single month. Our 5.86% yield figure includes the 6.52 cents per share dividend distribution due in the middle of this month, for an annual 2025 total of 77.96 cents per unit.
However, whilst this ETF might suit investors looking to get a high yield, it might not be suitable for everyone. Let’s check out how the Dividend Harvester ETF manages to bring in such a sizeable yield.
How does this ASX passive income stock provide its 5.86% yield?
This ASX ETF is not your ordinary, index-hugging passive investment. Instead of holding a relatively consistent portfolio, HVST follows a ‘dividend harvesting’ strategy, as its name implies. This involves buying a passive income stock like Telstra or NAB after it announces a dividend but before it trades ex-dividend. The fund then collects the payout, and later sells the stock, using proceeds to buy its next income payer.
In this way, HVST can provide a relatively large dividend yield to its investors. However, there is a catch.
Buying and selling stocks just to collect dividends doesn’t usually leave any room for capital growth or compounding. As a result, HVST’s overall returns tend to underperform the broader market. In other words, the higher dividends don’t make up for the lost share price appreciation.
To illustrate, HVST units returned a total of 8.82% over the 12 months to 31 October 2025. In contrast, a simple ASX index fund, the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS), has returned 12.63% over the same period.
There’s also the cost to consider. HVST’s passive income strategy doesn’t come cheap. Whilst VAS charges a management fee of 0.07% per annum, HVST will set an investor back 0.72% per annum.
As such, the Betashares Dividend Harvester Active ETF might be a good fit for those investors prioritising dividend income. But perhaps not for investors looking for the best overall returns for their portfolios.
Should you invest $1,000 in Betashares Australian Dividend Harvester Fund right now?
Before you buy Betashares Australian Dividend Harvester Fund shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Betashares Australian Dividend Harvester Fund wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
Recent share market volatility has led to multiple ASX growth shares dropping significantly in value, giving investors an opportunity to pick them up for a much lower price.
Buying at a lower price doesn’t mean it’s going to recover in the next week (or month) of course, but focusing on growing businesses means we’re more likely to focus on a company that could see its share price rebound at some point.
I believe both of the companies I’m about to highlight are two of the most compelling non-tech ASX growth shares with international growth intentions.
Breville sells an array of small kitchen appliances and it’s best known for its coffee machines. It owns a few different brands including Breville, Sage, Lelit and Baratza. It also sells coffee beans through its Beanz business.
As the chart below shows, it’s down more than 20% since January 2025 following the developments with US tariffs, so the company has been working hard to move its manufacturing of US products away from China, with a focus on Mexican production.
The ASX growth share delivered revenue and net profit growth of more than 10% in FY25. I’m expecting attractive growth rates to continue in FY27 and onwards.
I believe there could be more adoption of coffee-at-home consumption globally in the coming years, particularly if expansion markets (for Breville) like China, the Middle East and South Korea help materially.
According to the forecast on Commsec, the business could grow earnings per share (EPS) by 13% in FY27, putting it at 28x FY27’s estimated earnings.
GYG is a Mexican food restaurant business with more than 225 locations in Australia and more than 260 globally.
At the end of the FY26 first quarter, it had 227 Australian locations, 22 Singapore restaurants, five Japan locations and seven US restaurants. I’m expecting those numbers to rise in the medium-term.
The ASX growth share has a long-term goal of 1,000 restaurants in Australia over the next two decades, which would be more than a quadrupling over the period. Economies of scale could mean the ASX growth share achieves stronger profit margins over time, significantly boosting the bottom line.
I think restaurant growth alone could be a stronger driver of the company’s success in the coming years. In the FY26 first quarter, it reported network sales growth of 18.6%, with mid-single digit comparable sales growth across the business.
If Asian network sales can continue growing at a strong double-digit pace over the long-term, GYG could surprise the market and become significantly larger overall.
With the company willing to provide shareholders with both dividends and a share buyback, I think the ASX growth share looks attractive after falling more than 40% since the start of the year, as the above chart shows.
Should you invest $1,000 in Breville Group Limited right now?
Before you buy Breville Group Limited shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Breville Group Limited wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Breville Group and Guzman Y Gomez. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
Gilded Age tycoons built ornate mansions on New York's Fifth Avenue and in Newport, Rhode Island.
Some of today's wealthiest people have opted for more discreet or modest homes.
Today's billionaires live in diverse locations across the US, like the Bay Area, Miami, and Seattle.
A century ago, the wealthiest people in America often lived in ornate residences reminiscent of European royal palaces.
Today, some of the richest citizens are more discreet about their wealth, opting for low-key mountain homes, secure bunkers, or even prefabricated houses. Others, meanwhile, have spent big on tropical getaways and luxurious beachfront estates.
While lavish mansions are still built by wealthy Americans, today's real estate trends and status symbols differ from those of 120 years ago.
See how America's wealthiest have changed their residences as they've moved from Fifth Avenue to Silicon Valley.
During the peak of the Gilded Age, some of the wealthiest Americans lived in full view on New York City's Fifth Avenue.
Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images
The Gilded Age is typically defined as the years between 1865 and 1900, when wealth in America rocketed during a period of exorbitant industrial growth.
During the period, and in the years following it, Fifth Avenue mansions became a status symbol for those trying to establish their place in New York society. Some of the country's wealthiest lived next to one another on what became known as Millionaires' Row.
The Gilded Age brought the exorbitant wealth of industrialists — and their children — to the avenue.
Edwin Levick/Getty Images
Built in 1883, the French-inspired residence of Cornelius II Vanderbilt was the avenue's largest among high society's homes and remains the largest home to have ever been built in New York City.
The mansion, which was believed to have around 130 rooms, was home to a son and heir of Cornelius Vanderbilt, who had an estimated net worth of nearly $276 billion in today's money, per Forbes' 2006 reporting and adjusted for inflation via the Bureau of Labor Statistics' inflation calculator.
In 1928, the home was replaced with a Bergdorf-Goodman department store. Many Gilded Age mansions in New York City were demolished in the early- to mid-20th century to make way for commercial or apartment buildings, while a few became museums.
Industry leaders like Andrew Carnegie also called the street home.
Museum of the City of New York/Byron Collection/Getty Images
By the turn of the century, steel industrialist Andrew Carnegie — who founded and led the Carnegie Steel Company and had an estimated net worth of over $460 billion in today's currency — joined the group of wealthy residents on the avenue.
Located in the neighborhood now known as Carnegie Hill, the steel magnate's mansion was completed in 1902 and sat further north than those of previous generations of millionaires, which were clustered closer to Midtown Manhattan.
Today, it is the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.
J.P. Morgan took up residence in Murray Hill.
George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images
J.P. Morgan, the Wall Street titan, built his residence in the neighborhood of Murray Hill instead.
The financier, who had a net worth of $80 million at the time of his death in 1913, per Time — around $2.7 billion today — bought his house, which today houses The Morgan Library & Museum, in 1882.
Others, like John D. Rockefeller, built large estates further north of the city.
Remi BENALI/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
For the elites looking to escape the city, upstate New York offered a quiet and convenient location to build massive estates.
About 25 miles north of New York City, John D. Rockefeller's Kykuit estate was built in 1913 and housed generations of the family until the 1970s. The Standard Oil Company founder had an estimated net worth of over $500 billion in today's money — he is considered the richest American of all time.
Rockefeller's brother, William, had purchased the 204-room mansion Rockwood Hall in 1886, and the area quickly became a hot spot for the era's elites.
Railroad magnate Jay Gould was another industry leader who bought property in the Hudson Valley.
Lyndhurst Mansion.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Jay Gould, railroad tycoon and one of the wealthiest Americans in history — with an estimated net worth of $95.33 billion in today's money — also purchased an estate in Tarrytown, a Hudson Valley town outside of New York City.
Other industrialists, like Henry Clay Frick and Andrew Carnegie, resided in large homes in parts of Pittsburgh.
woodsnorthphoto/Shutterstock
Some magnates of the era resided near their company's operations.
Carnegie Steel Company founder Andrew Carnegie and chairman Henry Clay Frick both lived in the Point Breeze neighborhood in Pittsburgh, where the company had its headquarters.
In the Midwest, Cleveland had its own "Millionaires' Row" on Euclid Avenue.
Euclid Avenue housed some of the most lavish homes in the country and was often compared to Paris' Champs-Élysées, Cleveland Historic reported.
John D. Rockefeller also lived on the fashionable avenue for nearly 20 years.
Owning a vacation home in Newport, Rhode Island, was a must during the Gilded Age.
Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
No Gilded Age industrialist's real estate portfolio was complete without a lavish mansion in Newport, Rhode Island.
The Vanderbilts were some of the most notable residents, building large estates on the coast like Cornelius Vanderbilt II's The Breakers, which was completed in 1895, and William K. Vanderbilt's Marble House, completed in 1892.
In the early 1900s, magnates like Henry Flagler built ornate winter homes in Florida.
Sepia Times/Sepia Times/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
The turn of the century brought a land boom to Florida as magnates like Standard Oil's Henry Flagler — who had an estimated net worth of over $234 million in today's money at the time of his death, as reported by The New York Times and adjusted for inflation — moved to the state to escape the North's harsh winters.
The early 20th century saw an influx of wealth and rapid development of luxury winter estates, including the construction of Mar-a-Lago by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post in 1927.
Today, Florida is still home to some of America's wealthiest, but not just during the winter.
Felix Mizioznikov/Shutterstock
While America's wealthy have been vacationing in Florida for decades, some are now also making the state their full-time home.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the state, which doesn't have a state income tax and offers enjoyable weather year-round, has started attracting millionaires, although Florida's real-estate boom has been slowing down in recent months.
Today, some of the wealthiest Americans, including Jeff Bezos, who has a net worth of $246.6 billion as of December 2, and is the fourth-richest man alive, call the state home.
Some Silicon Valley billionaires live in upscale suburbs in the Bay Area.
Sundry Photography/Shutterstock
Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, some of the richest Silicon Valley billionaires have opted to stay close to the Bay Area, often residing in luxurious suburbs like Los Altos Hills, home to Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang, or Crescent Park, where Mark Zuckerberg lives.
The Bay Area is home to 82 billionaires — the most of any area in the world — per Henley & Partners' 2025 World's Wealthiest Cities report.
While Gilded Age tycoons often flaunted their wealth with ornate, highly visible showpiece homes, some of today's billionaires live in private properties obscured by mountains, greenery, or gates.
Some of the world's richest people, like Larry Ellison, live just outside San Francisco.
San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Living in Woodside, California, which is 30 miles away from the heart of San Francisco, Oracle founder Larry Ellison is a longtime resident of the state, even as his company's headquarters has moved out of Silicon Valley. He has a fortune of $255.6 billion and is the third-richest man in the world as of December 2.
Other titans keep their dwellings humble, like Warren Buffett's Omaha home.
Orjan F. Ellingvag/Corbis via Getty Images
Other modern-day billionaires have opted to keep their riches modest, like Warren Buffett, who has lived in the same Omaha, Nebraska, home since 1958.
The investor — who has a net worth of $150 billion as of December 2, and is one of the richest men in the world — originally bought the house for $31,500, CNBC reported, which would be around $358,000 today when adjusted for inflation.
The world's richest man, Elon Musk, lives in a pre-fabricated house in Texas.
SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images
While Elon Musk, the world's richest man, at one point owned luxurious houses in Bay Area suburbs and other California locations like Los Angeles, in 2020, the billionaire sold seven homes in his real estate portfolio and moved to a small, prefabricated home in Boca Chica, Texas, as reported by Architectural Digest.
The tech mogul has said his Texas home is valued at $50,000 and that he rents it from his company, SpaceX. He also noted that he still owns a Bay Area home he uses to host events.
Musk lives near SpaceX's launch site, which has since been integrated into a town called Starbase.
Michael Dell has also stayed close to his company's Texas roots, albeit in a much larger home.
Roschetzky Photography/Shutterstock
Michael Dell has stayed in his hometown of Austin, where he built his tech empire. Today, he has an estimated net worth of $149 billion.
Nicknamed "The Castle," the tech billionaire's Austin home sits on top of a hilltop and is about a 20-mile drive from Dell Technologies' headquarters.
Bill Gates has also stayed in his hometown.
Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates owns 10.5 acres of lakefront property in a tony Seattle suburb.
Ted Soqui/Corbis via Getty Images
Nicknamed Xanadu 2.0, the Microsoft founder's technologically advanced home in Medina, Washington (a suburb of Seattle), spans 66,000 square feet.
Gates, who has an estimated net worth of $104.4 billion as of December 2, grew up in the city where he founded Microsoft, which remains headquartered there.
Many of Silicon Valley's wealthiest are buying up getaway estates in Hawaii.
Steve Heap/Shutterstock
Figures like Ellison and Zuckerberg have also begun purchasing real estate in Hawaiian islands, where they have prioritized privacy and isolation.
The Meta CEO's estate on the island of Kauai, named Ko'olau Ranch, includes over 2,300 acres of land, some of which he has used for cattle ranching, and a nearly 5,000-square-foot underground bunker.
Ellison owns the entire island of Lanai, the sixth-largest island in Hawaii, after purchasing 98% of the island from former Dole Food Company owner David Murdoch for $300 million in 2012, per The Wall Street Journal.
Other billionaires, such as Walmart heir Rob Walton, are buying estates in places like Arizona.
Tim Roberts Photography/Shutterstock
While some billionaires have opted for coastal destinations, others have chosen inland escapes.
Rob Walton, the oldest child of Walmart and Sam's Club founder Sam Walton, who served as Walmart's chairman between 1992 and 2015 and continued to serve on the company's board until 2024, owns a house in the Paradise Valley neighborhood of Arizona, near Scottsdale.
The Walmart heir has a net worth of $131.7 billion.
For those who still flock to Manhattan, Billionaires' Row is the new place to live.
Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images
While the richest Americans aren't as concentrated in New York City's Fifth Avenue as they once were, many billionaires still call the Big Apple home.
New York is the city with the most ultrawealthy people — those worth over $30 million — in the world, with 21,380, per a September report by wealth intelligence firm Altrata. It is also home to 66 billionaires, according to Henley & Partners' 2025 Wealthiest Cities report.
Manhattan's Central Park-facing 57th Street has been nicknamed Billionaires' Row since three of the world's tallest residential buildings were erected on the street. These skyscrapers house some of the most expensive apartments in the world.
Some people known to own apartments in the street include Michael Dell and hedge fund managers Bill Ackman and Kenneth Griffin.
If you're still looking for best-in-class or best-of-breed when it comes to your enterprise management systems, it might be time to raise your expectations.
According to Stephan de Barse, president of the global Business Suite for SAP, a new gold standard has emerged — a superlative he calls "best of suite."
In de Barse's view, the competitive arena for enterprise management now exists within an integrated framework of AI, data, and core applications. That elevates it from a narrower proving ground, where being a "best of breed" provider checks only one or two of those boxes.
And while being "best of suite" isn't all about AI, the rapid acceleration of AI-centered workflows meant that SAP needed to think differently about the role of AI in enterprise management. This outcome — a clear path and proximity for AI to easily navigate between divisions and functions — is one of the ways the SAP Business Suite lives up to the new designation.
"Many companies treat AI like a separate layer somewhere in the technology stack," said de Barse. "That way, it's disconnected from your end-to-end business processes and disconnected from your data strategy. The moment AI doesn't make it back to the end-to-end business-process context it's very, very difficult to drive value."
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AI with suite-wide sweep
According to McKinsey's on-going tracking of enterprise AI from the C-Suite perspective — captured in regular releases of its State of AI reports — the percentage of organizations that report using AI in three or more divisions more than doubled between 2021 and 2025. Use of AI in four or more company divisions tripled across that time period. Companies using AI across five or more divisions — while starting smaller at 4% of those surveyed in 2021 — posted quadruple growth, forecasting near enterprise-wide ubiquity for AI use.
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This trajectory toward AI native enterprises is significant. Where the AI ROI conversation was once centered around generalized productivity powered by LLMs, de Barse has watched it reach hard improvements in both the P&L (e.g. improvement of topline revenue) and the Balance Sheet (e.g. improvement of working capital).
He cited the example of an AI agent on the commercial side of an enterprise forecasting deals likely to close. This would send a signal to manufacturing to increase capacity and procurement to line up raw materials.
"If you think about the entire value chain, from sourcing components to getting a product in the hands of customers, that has to be orchestrated by a series of agents that can help organizations reach better decisions and improve business results," de Barse said. "Customers want to work with us to get there, because they understand this must be across business processes."
Best in suite meets best in orchestration
SAP's own proprietary AI interface is known as Joule, which de Barse described as a "superorchestrator" — a single, accessible entry point to all business applications that, in aggregate, determine how an enterprise runs and employees work, as well as the customer experience.
With Joule, "you ask questions, but you also give instructions," de Barse said. "You don't have to log into five different applications to do something — it's all being orchestrated by Joule. So the way we think about interacting with software becomes different."
For manufacturers, that can mean an easy conversational prompt to forecast potential supply-chain disruptions and arrive at a solve. In the finance context, it means instant insight into the cash conversion cycle relative to working capital.
"At the enterprise level, this is happening at an unprecedented pace," he said.
In de Barse's view, these capabilities also call for cultural shifts within organizations — leaning away from optimizing current processes to rethinking how entire functions should be done, so that what becomes automated and tasked to agents is operating in "best-of-suite" condition.
"It's pretty exciting. This," he said, "is the opportunity."
