Six Indian-origin Americans, or the companies they lead, feature among the hundreds of high-value donors who helped the Donald Trump presidency raise close to $2 billion in 2025, according to an investigation by The New York Times. The amount far exceeds the roughly $1.45 billion raised during the 2024 election cycle, and the report suggests that a large share of these contributions were transactional, with donors later benefiting from decisions taken by the Trump administration.
The investigation found that at least 346 individuals contributed $250,000 or more, forming a powerful group of elite donors with significant access to the presidency. Among them were at least six Indian-origin individuals, including senior leaders of some of the world’s biggest technology companies. The report noted that many donors went on to receive favourable outcomes such as government contracts, regulatory relief, dropped legal actions, presidential pardons, or high-ranking appointments.
According to the findings, the largest Indian-origin contributor was Satya Nadella, chief executive of Microsoft, who donated about $3.5 million to the presidency, including $1 million specifically for Trump’s inauguration. Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, contributed around $1.2 million. Other Indian-origin donors included Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, and US Ambassador to Singapore Anjani Sinha.
The report pointed out a striking contradiction: while the Trump administration has pursued policies aimed at tightening or dismantling the H-1B visa programme—widely used by US tech companies to hire skilled foreign workers—it has simultaneously received substantial financial support from leaders of those very firms, many of whom are of Indian origin.
The New York Times noted that the Trump presidency is unusual in that it continued aggressive fundraising even after the inauguration of a second term. Traditionally, second-term presidents tend to redirect fundraising efforts toward party organisations or future candidates rather than raising money for themselves.
The investigation also detailed how fundraising was organised. Trump-aligned entities such as MAGA Inc, a super PAC, reportedly raised at least $200 million between November 2024 and June 2025. Trump’s inaugural committee set a new record by collecting nearly $240 million for his swearing-in ceremony. Additional funds were raised through bodies like the Trust for the National Mall, which has been linked to donations for a proposed White House ballroom project, as well as other organisations including America250 and Securing American Greatness.
According to the report, donations of $1 million or more often came with tangible privileges. High-level donors were invited to exclusive fundraising dinners, granted direct access to President Trump, and in some cases allowed to accompany him on overseas trips. Lobbyists played a key role in soliciting these contributions, assuring donors that financial support could improve their standing with the administration.
While the Trump administration has denied any quid pro quo arrangement and insists that donations do not influence policymaking, the investigation claims that at least 197 of the top donors benefited in concrete ways after contributing. These included favourable regulatory changes, tax relief, legal leniency, government contracts and prestigious appointments.
Overall, the report paints a picture of an unprecedented scale of fundraising tied closely to access and influence, raising questions about where legitimate political donations end and undue influence begins.
