Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Michael Bennet and others have sent a letter to executives at major tech companies, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, asking them to invest in President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund. He questioned recent donations.
A parliamentary inquiry dated January 17, 2025 raises concerns about potential attempts to influence the next administration.
Latest updates on Saif Ali Khan’s health
Altman countered on social media that the donations were personal, not corporate, and expressed confusion over questions directed at the company’s decision-making process.
“The funny thing is, they didn’t send me one of these because I donated to the Democratic Party.” He posted on X.
The senators’ letter highlights that multiple technology leaders, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Uber executives, have each contributed similar amounts. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi made an additional $1 million personal donation.
The Congressional investigation highlights ongoing federal investigations into these companies, including the FTC’s OpenAI investigation into consumer harm and the SEC’s investigation into allegations of misleading investors. Other companies also face various regulatory challenges, including Google’s antitrust issues and Meta’s privacy concerns.
Warren and Bennett’s letter suggests these donations may be an attempt to “avoid oversight, limit regulation, and buy favor” against the Trump administration. The senators are seeking detailed clarification on the timing and circumstances of these contributions by January 31, 2025.
This donation significantly exceeds previous donations to President Biden’s 2021 inauguration, in which companies such as Microsoft donated $500,000 and Amazon donated $276,509. Some companies, including Meta and OpenAI, did not donate to Biden’s inaugural fund.
Senators have expressed concerns about the companies’ potential to influence the next administration and are demanding answers about the companies’ rationale behind these contributions.
