Trump Administration Drops 100+ Corporate Enforcement Actions, Penalties Fall 97 Percent

The Trump administration has dropped, withdrawn, or halted enforcement actions against over 100 corporations in its first year, establishing a systematic pattern of protection for companies that donated to Trump’s inauguration. Regulatory enforcement against financial services fell 37% in the first half of 2025, with monetary penalties dropping 32%. Financial penalties for competition and antitrust violations fell 97%.

Corporations facing federal enforcement actions donated at least $50 million to Trump’s inauguration. Key examples include: Crypto.com withdrew from an SEC lawsuit after donating $1 million to the inauguration, with the SEC probe ended in March 2025 and the company subsequently announcing a $1 billion Trump media deal. Apple CEO Tim Cook donated $1 million and Trump lifted tariffs on Chinese electronics including many Apple products. Turkish businessman Ismail Terlemez, arrested in Belgium for a NATO contract bribery scheme in May, saw all DOJ charges dropped in July.

On February 10, Trump ordered a 180-day pause on all Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement—the primary tool for prosecuting corporate overseas bribery. The DOJ’s Office of Public Integrity, which handles public corruption cases, is being slashed in half. Treasury suspended the Corporate Transparency Act in March, reopening the door to shell companies and dirty money.

The pattern establishes clear quid pro quo: corporations under investigation donate to Trump, investigations are dropped or favorable policy changes occur. Law enforcement has become a protection racket benefiting donors.