Overview
- Public Citizen reports that 16 of 24 publicly named corporate donors received $279 billion in federal contracts over five years, with Lockheed Martin accounting for $191 billion.
- Fourteen of roughly two dozen named companies face federal enforcement actions or saw actions paused during Trump’s second term, including matters involving Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft and others.
- Donors collectively spent $1.6 billion on lobbying and campaign contributions over the past five years, according to the watchdog’s analysis.
- The White House says private funding lifts costs from taxpayers and asserts it has been transparent, while donations flow through the Trust for the National Mall, which is not required to disclose contributors and allows anonymity.
- Following the late-October demolition of the East Wing for the roughly $300 million project, lawmakers such as Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Bennie Thompson are pressing for a complete accounting as reporters identify donors not on the partial list.