US President Donald Trump has collected donations worth thousands of crores of rupees since the beginning of his second term. An investigation by The New York Times has revealed that after Donald Trump became President for the second time, his team has collected donations of about 2 billion dollars (about Rs 18 thousand crores) for different funds and schemes.
Based on examination of government documents, funding records and interviews with several people, the newspaper claimed that there were at least 346 such major donors, each of whom gave funds of $2.5 lakh or more. Only with the help of these donors, Trump raised funds of more than 500 million dollars.
According to the report, about 200 of these rich donors benefited from the decisions of the Trump administration. Six businessmen of Indian origin including Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella are also said to be included in these donors.
According to the report, more than half of the donors have benefited from actions or statements by Trump, the White House or federal agencies. Some got amnesty and some’s case was closed. Some companies that donated to Trump got big government contracts, while some got direct access to the White House or got high positions in the government.
However, the report also says that it is difficult to prove that someone gave money directly and received any benefit in return, but this relationship between money and benefits definitely raises many serious questions.
How did Trump’s team raise these funds?
Trump’s team created many different ways to raise funds. The largest platform among these is MAGA (Make America Great Again) Inc. Which is a super PAC. PAC is an organization which collects money for politics and uses it in support of a candidate or party.
This super PAC raised about $200 million between November 2024 and June 2025. Apart from this, the committee formed for Trump’s swearing-in ceremony raised approximately $240 million, which is said to be the largest inauguration fund in American history.
Not only this, funds are also being raised to build a grand ballroom in the White House. Trump says that about $350 million has been collected for this, although the New York Times has so far received confirmation from donors worth only about $100 million. This amount is being collected through an organization called ‘Trust for the National Mall’.
Made son ambassador by paying 1.5 million dollars
The wealthy have reaped major benefits by donating to Trump, including one woman who got her father’s sentence commuted. The woman gave $2.5 million to MAGA and got her father’s sentence reduced in a corruption case.
The CEO of video game company Roblox gave Trump a fund of more than 1.5 million dollars and made his son the US ambassador to Finland. According to the report, tech company Palantir gave $10 million to the ballroom, in return for which it got big government contracts in the Trump administration.
What did the White House say?
Many of those who donated to the Trump administration not only had dinner with Trump but also accompanied him on foreign trips and met Trump directly. But the White House has denied all these allegations.
Regarding donors and the benefits being provided to them, the White House said that donors should not be doubted. The White House said, ‘The President’s only motive is the welfare of the country and donors should not be viewed with suspicion.’
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