Washington, D.C.
In a sweeping presidential action aimed at safeguarding the integrity of American elections, former President Donald J. Trump has issued a formal memorandum ordering a federal investigation into allegations of unlawful “straw donor” schemes and foreign contributions funneled through online fundraising platforms.
The memorandum, dated April 24, 2025, and addressed to the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, and the Counsel to the President, cites mounting evidence from press reports and congressional investigations suggesting widespread abuse of online political donation systems.
According to the directive, online fundraising platforms may have knowingly facilitated the laundering of prohibited political contributions, using methods such as breaking large donations into smaller, falsely attributed amounts—a tactic known as “straw donations.” These contributions are reportedly linked to “dummy” accounts funded through prepaid credit cards or gift cards, often without the consent or awareness of the individuals whose names are being used.
Of particular concern is the apparent involvement of foreign nationals. The memorandum highlights findings from a recent House investigation that identified 22 significant fraud campaigns on the platform ActBlue, nearly half of which had ties to foreign entities. In just one month during the 2024 election cycle, 237 donations were traced to foreign IP addresses using prepaid cards.
“These activities undermine the integrity of our electoral process,” Trump stated in the directive. “Therefore, I direct the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, to use all lawful authority… to investigate these allegations and take all appropriate actions to enforce the law.”
The directive mandates that the Attorney General report back within 180 days with findings from the investigation. The memorandum emphasizes that while it does not establish enforceable legal rights, it serves as a formal order to initiate urgent federal scrutiny of potential election law violations.
This latest move marks a significant escalation in the Trump-led campaign to reform electoral security, potentially setting the stage for criminal investigations and legislative reform ahead of the 2026 midterms.
