Companies Pledged $63 Million to Trump Presidential Library but Money Is Now Missing
NEWS & RESEARCH
ABC, Meta, Paramount and X committed to donating a total of at least $63 million to President Trump’s presidential library to resolve legal settlements. Trump had sued the companies claiming they had harmed him “by restricting his access to social media or defaming him in their coverage.” However, the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Fund, was administratively dissolved in September, 2025 and it is now unclear where the money has gone.
SOURCES: Washington Post
ANALYSIS & OPINION
Sen. Elizabeth Warren told The New Republic that it wasn’t clear that the settlement funds were going to the library at all, “Why should Americans trust that this money isn’t going straight into Trump’s pockets?” And government ethics expert Noah Bookbinder noted to The New Republic that even if the money doesn’t go to directly to the president, “he’s soliciting large amounts for something that’s very important to him—from companies that are enormously affected by his decisions.” Project on Government Oversight government affairs manager Omar Tabuni told OpenSecrets that the lack of transparency around Trump’s library could cause presidential libraries to become “another vector of corruption and pay-to-play.”
SOURCES: The New Republic | OpenSecrets
HOW TO FIX IT
Federal action:
Pass the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act to close loopholes that allow presidential libraries to be used as tools for corruption and bribery.
Support shareholders filing derivative lawsuits against media company executives when a company agrees to a settlement that could be interpreted as a bribe or quid pro quo, and therefore harms the value of their shares.
Pass the No Political Enemies (NOPE) Act to protect individuals and organizations, including media outlets, “from politically motivated harassment and prosecution.”
Legislation: S.2300 - Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act | S.3646 - No Political Enemies (NOPE) Act
