Qualcomm Donates $1 Million to Trump-Aligned Dark Money Group

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) reported on July 30, 2025, that Qualcomm gave $1 million to Securing American Greatness, a nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization that supported President Trump in the 2024 election and is now spending to boost his agenda. The donation was revealed in a corporate document posted on Qualcomm’s investor relations webpage detailing political activity between September 30, 2024 and March 30, 2025, making it unclear whether the contribution was made before or after the election.

Context: Securing American Greatness is a dark money group that does not disclose its donors. Both Securing American Greatness and the predecessor to MAGA Inc. were run by Taylor Budowich, who worked for Trump’s 2020 campaign and is now deputy chief of staff for communications in the White House. The group reportedly spent $17 million in early 2025 on ads targeting members of Congress to pressure them to vote for Trump’s budget. This marks the first confirmed corporate donation to Trump’s dark money network.

Significance: Qualcomm’s donation exposes the covert bankrolling of Trump’s political machine by major tech corporations seeking favorable regulatory treatment and government contracts. The use of dark money networks allows corporations to funnel millions into political influence operations while maintaining public deniability. This pay-to-play system, where companies donate to groups run by current White House officials, creates systematic corruption where policy decisions are shaped by corporate donors operating through opaque channels beyond public scrutiny.