April 24, 2025
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
THE COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT
SUBJECT: Inquiry into Illicit “Straw Donor” Activities and Foreign Contributions in U.S. Elections
It is imperative to recognize that federal law (52 U.S.C. 30121 and 30122) firmly prohibits political contributions made in someone else’s name, as well as those from foreign individuals. These regulations were established to safeguard the sanctity of American democracy, yet recent investigative reports and findings from congressional committees have uncovered alarming evidence suggesting that certain online fundraising platforms are complicit in sophisticated schemes intended to route excessive and illegitimate contributions to political candidates and committees.
Specifically, these investigations have highlighted a troubling trend where bad actors are allegedly attempting to bypass federal restrictions on contribution sources and amounts. They do this by fragmenting large donations into multiple smaller ones, ostensibly credited to a variety of other individuals—often without their consent or knowledge. Such “straw donations” may be processed through “dummy” accounts, frequently utilizing gift cards or prepaid credit cards to obscure their origin and evade regulatory scrutiny.
Moreover, evidence has emerged indicating that foreign nationals are seeking to improperly leverage online fundraising platforms to influence U.S. elections. A recent inquiry by the House of Representatives revealed that a platform called ActBlue identified at least 22 significant fraudulent campaigns in recent years, with nearly half linked to foreign entities. Alarmingly, during a concentrated 30-day period in the 2024 election cycle, the platform recorded 237 contributions emanating from foreign IP addresses via prepaid cards, underscoring the persistent threat this issue poses.
The integrity of our electoral process is at stake. Therefore, I am directing the Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, to exercise all lawful powers necessary to investigate the allegations surrounding the illicit use of online fundraising platforms for “straw” or “dummy” contributions, as well as foreign contributions to political candidates and committees. Appropriate legal actions must be taken to uphold the law.
Furthermore, I instruct the Attorney General to provide a report back to me through the Counsel to the President within 180 days of this memorandum detailing the findings of the investigation.
This memorandum does not, and is not intended to, create any enforceable rights or benefits, substantive or procedural, against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, their officers, employees, or agents, or any other individual.
DONALD J. TRUMP
