On Wednesday, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz appeared before a Senate committee chaired by Senator Bernie Sanders to address the company's treatment of workers and allegations of illegal union-busting activities. The hearing became notably tense when committee members, particularly Sanders, referred to Schultz as a billionaire – a label that seemed to irritate the former executive.

　　Schultz, who has twice served as Starbucks' CEO and whose leadership led the company to go public in 1992 and become a global brand with a market cap of $118 billion, defended his wealth by recounting his humble origins. He grew up in federally subsidized housing in Brooklyn and emphasized that his billions were earned through hard work rather than given to him.

　　During the hearing, Senators Sanders and Tina Smith highlighted the power imbalance between Schultz, worth $3.7 billion according to Forbes, and Starbucks employees, suggesting this was the reason workers sought to unionize. Schultz expressed frustration at being labeled a billionaire, claiming it was unfair and used to imply he was corrupt or had abused his power.

　　Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin came to Schultz's defense, criticizing Sanders for characterizing wealthy individuals negatively. Mullin inaccurately claimed that Sanders had amassed an $8 million fortune due to his long tenure in office and recent book sales. Sanders refuted these claims, stating his net worth is around $2 million, derived from real estate and investments.

　　Sanders redirected the focus of the hearing back to the issue of labor rights, pointing out that the National Labor Relations Board had accused Starbucks of repeatedly violating labor laws by refusing to negotiate with newly formed unions. Despite Schultz's history of anti-union sentiments, he denied the accusations of union-busting and any violations of labor laws during the hearing.

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