Trump’s Inauguration Donor Pool Includes $50 Million in Contributions from Corporations Under Investigation or Facing Federal Enforcement
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Corporations facing federal investigations or enforcement lawsuits collectively gave $50 million to Trump’s inauguration – a third of the corporate inauguration donations.
Public Citizen cross-referenced new inauguration donor data (as shown below) with corporations listed in our Corporate Enforcement Tracker database, and found 58 corporations which include crypto companies, oil and auto industries, Big Pharma, tech companies, Wall Street hedge funds and more, faced at least 88 federal enforcement actions when Trump took office. Cases against 11 of these corporations have already been dismissed or withdrawn, and six have been halted.
Public Citizen Researcher Rick Claypool says these corporation donations may serve as down payments for pardons or decisions to drop enforcement actions.
“Corporations facing federal lawsuits and investigations aren’t giving millions to Trump’s inauguration out of the kindness of their hearts,” said Claypool. “They are trying to buy good will. And when you’re a corporation under investigation or facing prosecution, that means the government dropping enforcement actions against you. In some cases, it may even mean receiving pardons in cases in which guilty pleas have already been entered, or retractions of settlements already entered into.
Table: 58 corporations facing federal enforcement actions that collectively gave $50 million to Trump’s inauguration
Corporation Contribution (including in-kind and CEO contributions) Agency Status Subject of Investigation or Allegation Subsequent Trump Administration Intervention
Abbott Laboratories $500,000 DOJ Criminal investigation ongoing Misconduct connected with tainted baby formula
FTC Investigation disclosed Potential collusion or coordination in bidding for WIC Infant Formula Contracts
Adobe $1,000,000 DOJ, FTC Civil complaint filed Complaint charges that maker of Photoshop and Acrobat deceived consumers about early termination fees, inhibited cancellations
Amazon $1,000,000 CPSC Civil litigation ongoing, Amazon contesting Commission determined that Amazon was a “distributor” of products that are defective or fail to meet federal consumer product safety standards, and therefore bears legal responsibility for their recall. More than 400,000 products are subject to this order: specifically, faulty carbon monoxide (CO) detectors, hairdryers without electrocution protection, and children’s sleepwear that violated federal flammability standards.
DOJ Investigation ongoing DOJ investigating whether Amazon engaged in a fraudulent scheme designed to hide the true number of injuries to Amazon workers and whether Amazon made false representations to lenders about those injuries and its safety record to obtain credit.
EEOC Investigation reported, judge rules Amazon must comply with subpoena Discrimination against pregnant workers
FCC Investigation reported Investigating sales of illegal wireless frequency jammers
FTC Antitrust suit filed Acting as a monopolist among e-commerce superstores and fulfillment providers
FTC Civil suit filed, trial set for June 2025 Enrolling consumers into its Prime program without their consent while knowingly making it difficult for consumers to cancel their subscriptions
NLRB Cases open. Amazon seeking dismissal, contesting NLRB's constitutionality. Over 300 open cases alleging unfair labor practices and covering up to 1.6 million employees
Apple $1,000,000 DOJ Antitrust suit filed Smartphone market monopoly violations
NLRB Cases open Over 20 open cases alleging unfair labor practices and covering up to 160,000 employees
AT&T $1,000,000 EPA Investigation reported Potential environmental contamination from at least 2,000 old lead-sheathed telco cables in the U.S.
NLRB Cases open Over 120 open cases alleging unfair labor practices and covering up to 230,000 employees
Bank of America $500,000 CFPB Dismissed Alleged misconduct related to Zelle Network banks not doing enough to reimburse customers who were defrauded by scammers using the network Trump's CFPB filed to dismiss the Zelle Network case
SEC Investigation disclosed Systematically cheating customers out of billions of dollars of interest payments
Blackstone $1,000,000 DOJ Antitrust suit filed Blackstone's LivCor subsidiary accused of allegedly participating in an unlawful scheme to decrease competition among landlords in apartment pricing, harming millions of American renters.
Boeing $1,000,000 DOJ Plea agreement rejected by judge Failure to remediate as required following legal agreements to reform following Boeing deceiving the FAA and subsequent deadly 737 Max crashes
NLRB Cases open Over 30 open cases alleging unfair labor practices and covering up to 70,000 employees
Capital One $1,000,000 CFPB Dismissed Alleged poor communication around introduction of high-interest savings account product Trump's CFPB filed to dismiss
Citibank $100,000 NLRB Cases open Two open cases alleging unfair labor practices and covering up to 120,000 employees
Coca-Cola $289,750 FTC Investigation reported Over potential price discrimination in the soft drink market
Cognizant $50,000 DOJ Dismissed Alleged FCPA violations in India Trump's DOJ agreed to dismiss its case against Cognizant executives
Coinbase $1,000,000 SEC Dismissed Charged with operating its crypto asset trading platform as an unregistered national securities exchange, broker, and clearing agency. The SEC also charged Coinbase for failing to register the offer and sale of its crypto asset staking-as-a-service program. Trump's SEC agreed to dismiss the case.
Consensys $100,000 SEC Dismissed Charged with engaging in the unregistered offer and sale of securities through a service it calls MetaMask Staking and with operating as an unregistered broker Trump's SEC agreed to dismiss the case.
CoreCivic $500,000 DOJ Investigation announced Whether those incarcerated are protected from harm, including physical violence and sexual abuse Trump DOJ leadership announced a freeze on Civil Rights cases during its first week
DuPont $250,000 EPA, DOJ Dismissed The complaint asserts that the Denka Performance Elastomer and DuPont LaPlace plant’s operations present an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health and welfare due to the cancer risks from Denka’s chloroprene emissions. Trump DOJ dismissed case, citing its anti-DEI executive order.
Ericsson $500,000 DOJ Investigation disclosed Business activities in Iraq that may constitute a violation of the FCPA Trump signed an executive order on halting FCPA enforcement, claiming the law disadvantages US businesses.
ExxonMobil $1,000,000 PHMSA Civil penalty proposed $2.4 million fine proposed against pipeline company Exxon-owned Denbury and its contractor, Republic Testing Laboratories for blocking federal pipeline inspectors from carrying out their duties.
FCA LLC $1,000,000 EEOC Civil suit filed Sexual Harassment
FedEx $1,000,351 EEOC Civil suits filed Two disability discrimination cases
Ford Motor Company $199,000 NHTSA Investigations opened Potentially faulty seat belt components in particular trucks and insufficiently extensive recalls
NLRB Cases open Over 80 open cases alleging unfair labor practices and covering up to 10,000 employees
General Motors $1,000,000 EEOC Civil suit filed Age discrimination
NLRB Cases open Over 50 open cases alleging unfair labor practices and covering up to 5,800 employees
GEO Group $500,000 NLRB Case reportedly withdrawn Allegedly subjected detained immigrants to punishments including solitary confinement because they protested over pay and working conditions and supported labor strikes. Trump's NLRB reportedly withdrew its case against GEO Group.
Goldman Sachs $1,000,000 DOJ Investigation reported Whether there was collusion or a conspiracy to collude to control prices during urgent meetings banks held to limit exposure to the Archegos Capital Management meltdown
Google $1,000,000 DOJ Breakup plan proposed Monopoly violations in search Trump DOJ dropped part of proposed breakup plan requiring Google to sell off AI businesses.
DOJ Judge ruled Google violated Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act Monopoly violations in advertising
NLRB Cases open Over 20 open cases alleging unfair labor practices and covering up to 180,000 employees
Hewlett Packard $250,000 DOJ Investigation started under Biden, antitrust suit filed on 1/30/25. Anticompetitive merger sought with Juniper Networks Antitrust suit filed
Hims & Hers Health $1,000,000 FTC Investigation disclosed Unspecified
Hyundai $1,000,000 DOL Civil suit filed Child labor violations
OSHA Investigation reported Workplace safety investigation after worker crushed in factory
IBM $750,000 NLRB Cases open Three open cases alleging unfair labor practices and covering up to 100,000 employees
Johnson & Johnson $1,000,000 DOJ Investigation disclosed False Claims Act investigation relating to free or discounted intraocular lenses and equipment used in eye surgery, such as phacoemulsification and laser systems.
JPMorgan $1,033,058 CFPB Dismissed Alleged misconduct related to Zelle Network banks not doing enough to reimburse customers who were defrauded by scammers using the network Trump's CFPB filed to dismiss the Zelle Network case
Live Nation $500,000 DOJ Antitrust suit filed For monopolization and other unlawful conduct that thwarts competition in markets across the live entertainment industry
Lumen Technologies $35,000 NLRB Cases open 19 open cases alleging unfair labor practices and covering up to 50,000 employees
Mastercard $103,306 DOJ Antitrust investigation disclosed Civil investigative demand received regarding potential violations of Sections 1 or 2 of the Sherman Act.
McDonald's $1,000,000 NLRB Cases open Over 10 open cases alleging unfair labor practices and covering up to 400,100 employees
Meta $1,000,000 CFPB Civil investigation ongoing Allegations that it improperly used financial data obtained from third parties in its highly-lucrative advertising business The Trump administration ordered a freeze on all CFPB investigations and cases and announced a deprioritzation of enforcement against nonbanks.
FTC Antitrust trial underway Social media monopoly violations
NLRB Cases open Two open cases alleging unfair labor practices and covering up to 65,000 employees
Microsoft $750,000 FTC Antitrust suit filed Anticompetitive merger sought with Activision Blizzard
Antitrust investigation reportedly opened Anticompetitive actions related to AI and cloud computing services
Antitrust investigation reportedly opened Whether Microsoft structured its deal with AI startup Inflection to avoid a government antitrust oversight.
Nvidia $1,000,000 DOJ Antitrust investigation ongoing Allegations the company abused its market dominance
OpenAI $1,000,000 FTC Investigation opened Consumer harms from data collection and misinformation
SEC Investigation reported Investigating internal communications to understand if investors were misled
PayPal $250,000 FTC Investigation disclosed PayPal’s practices relating to commercial customers that submit charges on behalf of other merchants or sellers, and related activities.
PepsiCo $500,000 FTC Civil suit filed Allegedly engaging in illegal price discrimination by providing one customer—a large, big box retailer—with unfair pricing advantages, while raising prices for competing retailers and customers.
Pfizer $1,000,000 DOJ FCPA investigation disclosed Relating to the company's operations in Mexico Trump signed an executive order on halting FCPA enforcement, claiming the law disadvantages US businesses.
DOJ, SEC FCPA investigation disclosed Possible non-compliance with FCPA in China Trump signed an executive order on halting FCPA enforcement, claiming the law disadvantages US businesses.
DOJ Investigation disclosed In October 2018, received a subpoena from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York seeking records relating its relationship with another drug manufacturer and its production and manufacturing of drugs including, but not limited to, Quillivant XR.
DOJ Investigation disclosed In February 2019, received a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the SDNY. The CID seeks records and information related to alleged quality issues involving the manufacture of auto-injectors at the Meridian site. In August 2019, received a HIPAA subpoena issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, in coordination with the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, seeking similar records and information.
DOJ Investigation disclosed In March 2020, received an informal request from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch seeking documents relating to our manufacturing operations in India, including at our former facility located at Irrungattukottai in India. In April 2020, received a similar request from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the SDNY regarding a civil investigation concerning operations at our facilities in India.
Pilgrim's Pride (a JBS subsidiary) $5,000,000 DOJ The DOJ has informed PPC that it is likely to file a civil complaint pursuant to at least one of its investigations. On February 9, 2022, PPC learned that the DOJ opened a civil investigation into human resources antitrust matters; on October 6, 2022, PPC learned that the DOJ opened a civil investigation into grower contracts and payment practices; and on October 2, 2023, received a CID requesting information from PPC. PPC is cooperating with the DOJ in its investigations and CID.
Ripple $4,889,345 SEC Appeal withdrawn, penalties reduced Securities law violations Trump's SEC withdrew its appeal of the Ripple lawsuit and reduced Ripple's penalty from $125 million to $50 million.
The withdrawn SEC appeal reportedly sought $2 billion in penalties.
Robinhood Markets $2,000,000 SEC Dismissed Securities violations within crypto unit Trump's SEC agreed to dismiss the case.
RTW Investments $1,000,000 SEC Investigation disclosed Involvement with proxy vote irregularities at a separate firm
SAP $200,000 DOJ Civil investigation reported Alleged price-fixing
Scale AI $125,000 DOL Investigation reported Compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act
Stanley Black & Decker $1,000,000 OSHA Company contesting citation Workplace safety violations after worker suffers severe burns in electrical arc fire
Syngenta $250,000 FTC Case ongoing Allegedly paying distributors to block competitors from selling their cheaper generic products to farmers
Target $1,000,000 OSHA Investigation reported Workplace death of Pennsylvania store employee
Toyota $1,000,000 DOJ, SEC FCPA investigation disclosed Possible anti-bribery violations related to a Thai subsidiary Trump signed an executive order on halting FCPA enforcement, claiming the law disadvantages US businesses.
Tyson Foods $1,000,000 DOJ Antitrust investigation disclosed In 2020 and 2021, Tyson received civil investigative demands from the DOJ’s Civil Antitrust Division seeking information related to the fed cattle and beef packing markets. The Offices of the Attorney General for multiple states are participating in the investigation and coordinating with the DOJ.
DOL Investigation reported Child labor violations
USDA Investigation reported Potential violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act
Uber $2,000,000 FTC Investigation reported, proposed settlement reportedly opposed by Uber Allegedly automatically signing people up for its Uber One subscription service and making it hard to cancel
FTC Antitrust investigation disclosed Whether Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. illegally coordinated to limit driver pay in New York City.
US Steel $106,252 EPA Investigation reported The EPA is reportedly investigating the corporation's taconite mine, Keetac, for repeatedly releasing a rice-killing pollutant into surface waters.
Visa $50,000 DOJ Antitrust suit filed, Visa contesting charge, pushing for dismissal Monopolization and other unlawful conduct in debit network markets in violation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act
Walmart $150,000 CFPB Stayed For forcing delivery drivers to use costly deposit accounts to get paid and for deceiving workers— “last mile” drivers in Walmart’s Spark Driver program—about how they could access their earnings The Trump administration ordered a freeze on all CFPB investigations and cases and temporarily stayed this case.
EEOC Civil suit filed Disability discrimination case filed against Walmart and Sam's East (Sam's Club)
FTC Case ongoing Alleged violations of the Telemarketing Sales Rule
Yuga Labs $100,000 SEC Investigation closed Into whether the company behind Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs violated laws prohibiting sale of unregistered securities. Trump's SEC closed the Yuga Labs investigation