Trump Inauguration Raises Record $245 Million with $161 Million from Corporations Facing Federal Enforcement

Trump’s 2025 inauguration raised a record-shattering $245 million, with at least $161 million coming from corporations—many facing active federal antitrust investigations or regulatory scrutiny. The donations represent a nearly 2.5x increase over Trump’s 2017 inauguration ($107 million) and more than double Biden’s 2021 total.

Major tech companies facing FTC and DOJ antitrust investigations contributed millions: Amazon, Meta, Google, Uber, and Microsoft each gave $1 million or more. Crypto companies under SEC enforcement actions gave heavily, with Coinbase, Ripple, and Robinhood each contributing $1 million. OpenAI gave $1 million while facing regulatory scrutiny.

Public Citizen characterized the donations as coming “out of fear” of retaliation, noting that companies under active federal investigation donated strategically to curry favor with the incoming administration. Within months of the inauguration, many donor companies saw enforcement actions dropped, favorable policy changes, or regulatory relief.

The pattern establishes a clear pay-to-play framework: corporations facing federal enforcement donate to Trump’s inauguration, then receive favorable treatment. Crypto.com donated $1 million and subsequently saw its SEC investigation dropped and announced a $1 billion Trump Media deal. Apple’s Tim Cook donated $1 million and Trump later exempted Apple products from China tariffs.