Despite campaign rhetoric critical of “the swamp,” Donald Trump raised $10 million in 2024 from lobbyists for foreign governments

As a presidential candidate in 2016, Republican Donald Trump pledged to implement “a complete ban on foreign lobbyists raising money for American elections” as part of his promise to “drain the swamp.” Yet neither during his first term in the White House nor during his subsequent campaigns has he pushed to implement such a reform.

In fact, an Issue One review of new federal campaign finance disclosures shows that Trump raised $10 million from lobbyists who worked for foreign governments during the 2024 presidential campaign.

“The American people want a government that works for them, not just for wealthy megadonors and well-connected foreign governments that hire K Street firms to influence public policy debates,” said Issue One Research Director Michael Beckel. “While President Trump missed an opportunity to act on this promise during his first term, it’s not too late to pursue it during his second term. At a time when so many Americans are worried about foreign interference in our elections, banning political fundraising by lobbyists working on behalf of foreign interests is a commonsense reform that would unite Democrats, Republicans, and independents.”

Specifically, federal campaign finance filings show four individuals who lobbied for foreign governments this election cycle raised campaign cash for Trump this year through the Trump 47 Committee, a mega-joint fundraising campaign that benefited Trump’s campaign, his leadership PAC, the Republican National Committee, and state Republican Party groups in nearly every state.

Geoff Verhoff, who has, this year, lobbied for the governments of Cambodia and Uzbekistan, raised $5.5 million.

Jeff Miller, who has, this year, lobbied for the government of Japan, raised $2.7 million.

Brian Ballard, who has, this year, lobbied for the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Japan, and Sudan, raised $1.8 million.

Oswaldo Palomo, who lobbied, as recently as last year, for the largest political party in Romania, raised $123,500.

While scores of fundraisers typically help presidential candidates raise metaphorical — and sometimes literal — bundles of money, by law, the only so-called “bundlers” that presidential candidates are required to disclose are those who are registered lobbyists.

As Issue One has previously noted, the 2024 presidential election marked the first time in 25 years that neither major party presidential nominee voluntarily disclosed information about their bundlers beyond the details required by law about lobbyist-bundlers.

Prior to Election Day, media outlets reported that Trump’s campaign had at least seven tiers of bundlers who earned special perks and access — from those who raised at least $15,000 (“Trump Force”) to those who raised at least $1 million (“Ultra MAGA”). And the New York Times recently noted that Trump’s inauguration is being bankrolled in part by bundlers who each raise at least $2 million.