By Anita Hamilton

A slew of big donations of more than $1 million each led to a record haul for this year's presidential inauguration fund. Some of the biggest outlays came from the tech, crypto, finance, and auto industries.

Of the nearly $250 million raised -- more than twice the prior record of $107 million set by President Donald Trump's first inauguration in 2021 -- more than half, $147 million, came from companies, individuals, and trusts who shelled out at least $1 million, according to a filing from the Trump Vance Inaugural Committee with the Federal Election Commission.

Special perks for seven-figure givers, which included invites to inaugural balls and special meals, according to media reports, may have helped push some givers into that range.

The largest donation of $5 million came from chicken producer Pilgrim's Pride, followed crypto firm Ripple, which gave $4.9 million.

Big tech, which has much at stake under the new administration from the impact of tariffs to ongoing court cases, didn't just show up on stage for Donald Trump at the Jan. 20 ceremony; they also shelled out for the festivities. Six of the Magnificent Seven big tech firms contributed to the inaugural fund, although Apple's $1 million gift came personally from CEO Tim Cook, rather than directly from the company. Amazon, Google, Meta, and Nvidia all gave $1 million each, while Microsoft ponied up $750,000.

Some firms are repeat givers. For example, Microsoft has given for the past four inaugurations, with its largest donation of $2 million for Barack Obama in 2013.

Other companies have given the same amount regardless of which party is taking office. For example, Uber gave $1 million to Joe Biden's fund in 2021, and its CEO Dara Khosrowshahi gave $1 million this year for Donald Trump. Boeing, Comcast, McDonald's, and Pfizer have all given $1 million for past inaugurations and did so again this year.

While Tesla didn't give directly to the inaugural fund, CEO Elon Musk personally gave nearly $250 million to the Trump campaign through the America PAC.

The cryptocurrency industry showed up in force, too. In addition to Ripple's $4.9 million gift, Coinbase, Kraken-owner Payward, and Solana each gave $1 million each. The industry is in a pivotal period going forward as it looks to avoid regulations that could limit its growth. Trump, who recently launched his own coin, has called himself the "crypto president."

Among auto companies, which are facing headwinds from 25% tariffs on car imports, General Motors, Hyundai, and Toyota all gave seven figures. When asked if he may cut deals with auto makers to help them manage tariff impacts last week, Trump said he may do "something to help some of the car companies."

Heavy hitters in the finance industry with large donations for the 2025 inauguration included BlackRock, Blackstone, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Elliott Management founder Paul Elliott Singer, and Citadel CEO Ken Griffin.

Other seven-figure donors have landed political appointments or nominations. Former professional wrestling executive Linda McMahon got the top job at the Education Department, longtime Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick is now Commerce Secretary, and billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman is the nominee to head the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. A trio of other big donors have been nominated as foreign ambassadors. They include Melissa Argyros, a member of the real estate mogul Argyros family, personal injury lawyer Daniel Newlin, and investment banker Warren Stephens for Latvia, Colombia, and the U.K., respectively.

Write to Anita Hamilton at anita.hamilton@barrons.com

This content was created by Barron's, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. Barron's is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.

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April 22, 2025 14:22 ET (18:22 GMT)

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