KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) is a private equity firm originally founded by Jerome Kohlberg Jr. along with Henry Kravis and George Roberts, the two of whom are cousins. (Kohlberg left the firm in 1987 and died in 2015.) The firm is known for executing leveraged buyouts, which is the acquisition of a company using borrowed money (resulting in high debt ratios and the issuance of junk bonds). It was reported yesterday that KKR intends to acquire Envision Healthcare, in a typical leveraged buyout, for about $5.5 billion.
Billionaire Henry Kravis was one of Trump's picks for Treasury Secretary, but of course that position went to Trump fundraiser Steven Mnuchin. In April Trump hosted a statedinner for several other billionaires, including Kravis. And Kravis is also a close friend of former President George H.W. Bush, as it was Kravis' father Ray who hired George for his first job.
The former co-head of private equity at KKR, Alexander Navab is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Washington, DC think tank that directly influences policy and military action.
Warren Tryon, who has lobbied for KKR, is described by his employer as someone who helped pass major financial services legislation, including the Dodd-Frank reform bills, the JOBS Act, and the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization of 2012.
