US President Donald Trump’s inaugural committee raised an unprecedented $239 million for the events surrounding his 2025 swearing-in — shattering past records and drawing scrutiny over the outsize influence of billionaires and corporate giants.
According to a Federal Election Commission filing, the top donor was Colorado-based poultry giant Pilgrim’s Pride, which contributed $5 million. Major cryptocurrency players Ripple Labs and Robinhood followed with donations of $4.9 million and $2 million, respectively.
Several top donors have since been tapped for prominent government posts. Arkansas financier Warren Stephens, who gave $4 million, was nominated as US ambassador to the UK, while billionaire Jared Isaacman — awaiting Senate confirmation to lead NASA — contributed $2 million. Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also appeared on the donor list with $1 million and $250,000 contributions, respectively.
Among corporate donors, Meta and Amazon each gave $1 million, reportedly securing prime seats at the January 20 ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda for CEOs Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos. Chipmaker Nvidia, facing trade restrictions with China, also gave $1 million.
The Trump Vance Inaugural Committee reported taking in $245.3 million and refunding just over $6 million. Roughly 60% of the total came from more than 130 individual million-dollar donations, underscoring the heavy reliance on high-dollar donors to finance the lavish events.
Notably, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, hedge fund manager Paul Singer, and Trump political ally Miriam Adelson were among those contributing $1 million personally.
Steve Kerrigan, who produced inaugural events for Barack Obama and Joe Biden, said Trump’s figures are far beyond what is required. “There’s simply no need for that level of spending unless it’s intended to buy access,” he told CNN.
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The South Caucasus—comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia—has long been a geopolitical crossroads where regional and global powers intersect.
China has accused foreign intelligence agencies of smuggling rare earth metals out of the country by manipulating shipping logistics and recruiting insiders, according to a statement from the Ministry of State Security.
An explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department training facility has reportedly claimed the lives of three deputies, according to local media reports on Friday. However, officials have not yet confirmed any casualties.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone call on Friday to discuss regional developments, with particular focus on the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, according to a statement released by the Kremlin press service.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
Germany's export slump since 2021 is largely driven by deep-rooted competitiveness issues, the Bundesbank warned in its latest report, calling for urgent structural reforms.
Israeli researchers have unveiled an artificial intelligence tool that can determine a person’s true biological age from tiny DNA samples with remarkable precision.
Two Harry Potter actresses, Emma Watson and Zoe Wanamaker, have each received a six-month driving ban after separate speeding offences, both sentenced on the same day at a Buckinghamshire court.
North Korea has stopped foreign tourists from visiting its new Wonsan-Kalma resort just weeks after it welcomed the first Russian visitors.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Coca-Cola has agreed to use real cane sugar in the U.S., though the company has not confirmed the claim.
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The Trump administration has completed a controversial prisoner swap with Venezuela, returning around 250 deported Venezuelans in exchange for 10 American detainees.
Congo and the M23 rebel group have agreed on a declaration of principles after months of Qatar-mediated talks, aiming to end fighting in the country’s east.
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