President Trump has signed a memorandum directing federal authorities to investigate and crack down on illegal political contributions made through online fundraising platforms, citing troubling evidence of foreign interference and straw donor schemes aimed at evading U.S. election laws.
The memorandum highlights existing prohibitions under federal law (52 U.S.C. §§ 30121 and 30122), which bar campaign donations from foreign nationals and the practice of contributing in someone else’s name. Despite these restrictions, Trump points to press reports and congressional investigations that have raised serious concerns about platforms allegedly being exploited to funnel prohibited funds into U.S. elections.
According to the order, malign actors are suspected of laundering large donations by breaking them down into smaller amounts under the names of various individuals—potentially without those individuals’ knowledge. Some donations were allegedly made through dummy accounts using gift cards or prepaid credit cards to avoid detection.
The memorandum also references findings from a House investigation into the platform ActBlue, which reportedly uncovered at least 22 significant fraud campaigns in recent years—nearly half of which involved foreign ties. During a single 30-day period in the 2024 election cycle, ActBlue allegedly identified 237 donations originating from foreign IP addresses and processed using prepaid cards.
“These activities undermine the integrity of our electoral process,” Trump wrote, directing the Attorney General, in coordination with the Treasury Secretary, to use all lawful authority to investigate the claims and take necessary enforcement actions.
The Attorney General is required to report findings back to the president within 180 days.
The memo concludes by stating that it does not create any enforceable rights or benefits under law but serves as an instruction to federal agencies to uphold and enforce existing statutes.
Read the Presidential Memorandum
