Min, Warren, Lawmakers Question Giant Corporations On Trump Ballroom Donations, Influence-Peddling with Trump Administration For Favors

Donations from Amazon, Apple, Meta, Nvidia, others with pending antitrust business in front of Trump admin raise bribery concerns.

"If your donation was made with the intent to influence government decision-making, it could run afoul of federal bribery law."

Text of Letters (PDF)

Washington, D.C. - Representative Dave Min (D-Calif.) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led their colleagues in questioning seven giant corporations on their reported donations to President Trump's White House ballroom, and whether there were any quid-pro-quo arrangements connected to them. The corporations - Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Comcast, and Union Pacific Railroad - all have antitrust business pending in front of the Trump administration, raising concerns about influence-peddling and bribery.

"These interests create the potential for a quid-pro-quo exchange of a contribution to the ballroom for regulatory or other favors from the federal government. That risk appears particularly acute amid allegations of this Administration's politicized decision-making in antitrust cases, not based on law and the interest of the public but based on political favors," wrote the lawmakers. "If your donation was made with the intent to influence government decision-making, it could run afoul of federal bribery law."

The following lawmakers joined Min and Warren in sending the letters: U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Representatives André Carson (D-Ind.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), and Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.).

Each of these seven corporate ballroom donors stands to benefit from favorable treatment from the federal government related to merger reviews or enforcement actions. Comcast could seek the Trump administration's approval of a potential merger if it were to win its bidding war for Warner Bros. Union Pacific Railroad would benefit from the administration's approval of its pending merger with Norfolk Southern, which would enable it to control roughly 40% of U.S. freight rail traffic. Meta would benefit from the FTC choosing not to appeal a recent federal district court antitrust ruling favorable to the company.

Recent reports revealed that businesses have admitted donations to Trump's ballroom fund were a good way to "curry favor with the administration." Last month, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon acknowledged the influence-pedding concerns related to ballroom donations, stating that JPMorgan has not donated because of the "risks we bear by doing anything that looks like . . . buying favors."

Rep. Min, a former SEC prosecutor and member of the House Oversight Committee, is committed to calling out corruption and holding the lawlessness of the Trump administration in check. This letter is a continuation of his efforts as Chair of the Fighting Corruption Task Force to demand accountability in government and uphold the rule of law.

The Members pressed the companies for answers about the discussions surrounding their donations, the amount contributed, whether they expect to claim their donation as a charitable deduction, and more by December 16, 2025.

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