New FEC filing reveals Elon Musk didn't donate to Trump’s inauguration despite spending $250M on campaign
WASHINGTON, DC: Turns out the billionaire bromance between Elon Musk and Donald Trump may have some boundaries after all.
Despite being one of Trump’s loudest megaphones on the campaign trail, new FEC filings just revealed that Musk didn’t shell out a single cent toward Trump’s blockbuster inauguration bash.
The man who reportedly spent over $250 million backing Trump’s campaign and boosting MAGA-aligned causes somehow skipped writing a check for the swearing-in party. Zero dollars from Musk or his empire made it into the record-breaking $239 million haul for Trump’s January inauguration events.
However, tech giants like Meta, Nvidia, and Amazon didn’t hesitate. They each dropped at least $1 million into the inauguration kitty, helping Trump’s Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee rake in more than double the amount raised for Trump’s 2017 ceremony, Newsweek reported.
Elon Musk’s name is missing, but he was very much there
Even though he was a no-show on the donation list, Musk did make a splash at Trump’s big day.
He attended the inauguration and even delivered a speech later that evening at a rally that ended up making headlines for all the wrong reasons, thanks to a controversial salute that had everyone talking.
No one knows for sure why the billionaire didn’t show up on the donor list.
But it definitely raises eyebrows considering Musk isn’t just a MAGA cheerleader - he’s also the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and one of Trump’s most trusted allies.
Who donated to Trump’s inaugural war chest?
While Musk may have sat this one out, plenty of others were writing fat checks - some with suspicious timing. According to the filing, Trump’s pick to lead NASA, Jared Isaacman, gave $2 million just a week before landing the nomination.
Then there was Linda McMahon — tapped for Education Secretary — who gave $1 million after her appointment. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent followed with a $250,000 donation after his name was announced.
Howard Lutnick, the man behind Cantor Fitzgerald, handed over $1,047,000 after being nominated for Commerce Secretary. Once confirmed, he officially ditched the firm.
Even Trump’s current batch of US ambassadors got in on the action. Melissa Argyros, ambassador to Latvia, gave $2 million. Tilman Fertitta, ambassador to Italy, and Dan Newlin in Colombia each gave $1 million. Fertitta’s check reportedly came just four days before his appointment went public.
Over in Croatia, Nicole McGraw tossed in $250,000. And the big spender was Warren Stephens — ambassador to the UK — who dropped a whopping $4 million on the same day he got nominated.
The corporations that came to play
Poultry powerhouse Pilgrim’s Pride topped the donor list with a $5 million gift. That’s the same company that agreed to a $100 million antitrust settlement last year for allegedly keeping chicken farmers underpaid.
Ripple Labs, a blockchain firm mired in legal trouble, wasn't far behind with just under $5 million. Their SEC fine last month was $50 million—already a bargain compared to their $125 million penalty from last August.
Robinhood, the trading app notorious for freezing GameStop trades, shelled out $2 million just as they were coughing up $29.75 million to wrap up a slew of regulatory probes over money laundering issues and other violations.
According to watchdog group Public Citizen, the total of $50 million of the inaugural fund came from 58 companies facing federal investigations and lawsuits.
Some major tech titans showed up too. Sam Altman (OpenAI), Tim Cook (Apple), and Dara Khosrowshahi (Uber) each dropped $1 million to mark the moment, according to Rolling Stone.
Many are wondering what Trump’s planning to do with the rest of that mountain of cash. The Wall Street Journal says he’s eyeing a presidential library.
That said, the inaugural committee doesn’t have to disclose how that $239 million is being spent (or how much is left) until they file a tax return with the IRS in 2026.
