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WASHINGTON, D.C. – An Accountable.US review of donor disclosure data filed on April 20 found that the Trump Vance Inaugural Committee received major donations from at least six individuals—or related entities—nominated to key positions within the Trump administration, including three cabinet secretaries and three agency heads. This includes billionaire Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s investment firm, Cantor Fitzgerald, which contributed $1.047 million; and Wall Street hedge fund manager turned U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who gave $250,000.

Accountable.US Executive Director Tony Carrk: “The fact that so many wealthy donors with agendas found their way into powerful positions in the Trump administration is emblematic of how this President does business. Special interests that shower Trump with money get to jump to the head of the line while working people keep waiting for a single specific policy to lower their costs.”

KEY FINDINGS: 

  • NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman contributed $2 million just days before Trump announced his appointment.  
  • Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s investment firm, Cantor Fitzgerald, contributed $1.047 million. 
  • Education Secretary Linda McMahon contributed $1 million. 
  • Intercontinental Exchange CEO Jeffrey Sprecher, spouse of Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler, contributed $1 million.  
  • Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent contributed $250,000. 
  • Scale AI, a tech company of which White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director Michael Kratsios was managing director between 2021-2025, contributed $125,000. 

Additionally, at least ten ambassador nominees were tied to donations to the committee:

  • Ambassador to the United Kingdom Warren Stephens contributed $4 million––the same day Trump announced his nomination. 
  • Ambassador to Latvia nominee Melissa Argyros, a member of the billionaire real estate mogul Argyros family, contributed $2 million several months before Trump announced her nomination.  
  • Ambassador to Italy nominee Tilman Fertitta, the billionaire longtime CEO of restaurant conglomerate Landry’s, contributed $1 million just days before Trump announced his nomination.  
  • Ambassador to Colombia nominee Daniel Newlin, a personal injury lawyer and former Florida detectives seemingly without political experience, contributed $1 million a week before Trump announced his nomination.  
  • Ambassador to Costa Rica nominee Melinda Hildebrand and her husband, billionaire Jeffrey Hildebrand, contributed a combined $1 million months before Trump announced her nomination.  
  • Ambassador to Denmark nominee Ken Howery, who co-founded PayPal and the Founders Fund, contributed $1 million.  
  • Ambassador to Argentina nominee Peter Lamelas contributed $250,000.  
  • Ambassador to Croatia nominee Nicole McGraw, the spouse of insurance company CEO Michael McGraw, contributed $250,000 just days before Trump announced her nomination. 
  • Ambassador to the Netherlands nominee Joe Popolo contributed $250,000 weeks before Trump announced his nomination. 
  • Conair heiress Babe Rizzuto, the sister of Ambassador to the Organization of American States Leandro Rizzuto Jr., contributed $100,000 just days before Trump announced Rizzuto Jr.’s nomination.

Previously from Accountable.US: 

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