When President Donald Trump directed his attorney general last month to investigate online fundraising, he cited concerns that foreigners and fraudsters were using elaborate “schemes” and “dummy accounts” to funnel illegal contributions to politicians and causes.
Identifying just one potential target – ActBlue, Democrats' online fundraising juggernaut – Trump omitted the fact that his own political committees also received scores of potentially problematic contributions.
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President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Major General Trevor Bredenkamp, right, attend a Memorial Day wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Va., Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) |
Trump targeted Democrats over questionable online fundraising. His campaign has similar issues |
An AP review of donations to Trump over the past five years found 1,600 contributions from donors who live abroad, have close ties to foreign interests or failed to disclose basic information – often making it difficult, if not impossible, to identify them and verify the legality of their donations Among those was $5,000 linked to a derelict building, and $5,000 from a Chinese businessman who listed a La Quinta Inn as his address. A $1 million donation was made by the wife of an African oil and mining magnate.
U.S. citizens living abroad are free to donate to politicians back home. But it can be tough even for campaigns to discern who is allowed to give and whether a person may be serving as a "straw" donor for someone else seeking to influence U.S. elections. It’s against the law for U.S. candidates and political committees to accept contributions from foreign nationals. Laws also place strict limits on donation amounts and prohibit the laundering of contributions to get around legal caps.
The White House did not respond to questions about Trump's fundraising, including what sort of fraud prevention measures his committees have in place. Instead, a senior administration official pointed to the findings of a recent House Republican investigation of ActBlue that the White House alleges “uncovered specific evidence of potentially unlawful conduct.”
Neither the Justice Department, nor Trump's 2024 campaign co-manager Chris LaCivita, responded to requests for comment. Read more. |
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Of note:
The AP identified only two Trump donors out of more than 200 living abroad whose U.S. citizenship was listed as “verified” in the president's campaign finance reports. He received over 1,000 contributions from 150 donors who omitted key identifying details such as their city, state, address or country. Trump also received at least 90 contributions from people who did not give a full name, are listed as “anonymous” or whose donations include the notation “name not provided.”
Many of these Trump donors contributed through WinRed, Republicans' online fundraising platform that is the GOP’s answer to ActBlue. Only about three dozen of these contributions were rejected, most of which came from an unknown source and were paid in cryptocurrency, campaign finance disclosures show. WinRed officials did not respond to a request for comment. |
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The 2028 podcast primary is underway as Democrats try to reshape their image |
From Govs. Gavin Newsom of California, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan to former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, potential presidential contenders are following the lead of Trump, who frequently on podcasts appealing to younger men during his 2024 campaign.
The likely 2028 contenders have produced many hours of content already. Newsom, long derided by conservatives as a San Francisco liberal, has welcomed conservatives onto his podcast and agreed with them on issues such as trans participation in women’s sports. Beshear, a lower-profile Democrat in a red state, hosted his teenagers to teach him how to use the slang “skibidi.”
Whitmer recently appeared on “Pod Save America,” where she discussed backlash for sharing a hug with Trump as he arrived in her home state last month. During his three-hour sit-down with comedian Andrew Schulz, Buttigieg candidly described his experiences serving in the military before he came out publicly as gay, even laughing along as Schulz and other hosts cracked jokes related to homosexuality or asked pointed questions about his personal life. Read more.
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Of note:
Liberal strategists acknowledge Trump showed that Democratic candidates need to master the podcast space, which is typically looser and more freewheeling than a press conference or a traditional media interview. |
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Anti-drone systems offer new ways to counter rising threats |
Drones have harassed airports and bedeviled local police. They have trespassed over nuclear plants and prisons. On the battlefield, they can kill. But aside from shooting down the devices, which may create further danger, there's not much anyone can do to stop drones when they pose a threat or wander where they're not welcome. That's beginning to change. Cheap and easily modified, unmanned aerial vehicles have become a part of daily life, as well as a tool for governments and bad actors alike — used for intelligence gathering, surveillance, sabotage, terrorism and more. Concerns about their misuse have spurred a technological scramble for ways to stop the devices in midair.
Military drones are already potent weapons of war, used to track enemy movements and deliver attacks. But they have become an increasing threat at home, too. And anti-drone systems now hold significant promise for airports, water treatment plants, military installations and public events targeted by drones in recent years. Read more.
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Of note:
The rise in incidents involving unmanned aircraft — like the wave of sightings reported last year in New Jersey – has led to more research and investment into the most effective ways of countering drones, preferably while preventing injuries to those below. |
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U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, left, and Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stand next to a memorial honoring Yaron Lishinsky and Sarah Milgrom in Jerusalem on Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool) |
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Trump is expected in Washington this week and has said he will travel to U.S. Steel in Pittsburgh for a “BIG rally” on Friday.
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