ActBlue mentioned that Trump’s order was his newest transfer to “stamp out all political, electoral and ideological opposition.”
President Donald Trump has directed the Division of Justice (DOJ) to analyze ActBlue, the Democratic Celebration’s main fundraising platform, simply months earlier than the 2025 election cycle, by which quite a few congressional seats are up for grabs.
Trump’s presidential memorandum comes as Democratic campaigns more and more rely upon ActBlue, which has processed nearly $17 billion in donations for Democratic and progressive causes since its founding in 2004.
“The Trump Administration’s and GOP’s concentrating on of ActBlue is a part of their brazen assault on democracy in America,” ActBlue said in a statement. “Immediately’s escalation by the White Home is blatantly illegal and must be seen for what it’s: Donald Trump’s newest entrance in his marketing campaign to stamp out all political, electoral and ideological opposition.”
Trump’s memorandum instructs Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi to “examine and take applicable motion” relating to the alleged misuse of on-line fundraising platforms — a far right talking point that marketing campaign finance experts say is exaggerated and based mostly on a misunderstanding of how the Federal Election Fee (FEC) tracks small-dollar donations by platforms like ActBlue and its GOP counterpart, WinRed.
Whereas Trump claims that he’s “making elections safe once more,” he has lately signed an executive order that may disenfranchise voters and limit poll entry. A federal choose on Thursday partially blocked that effort, writing in her opinion that, “Our Structure entrusts Congress and the States — not the President — with the authority to manage federal elections.”
Critics of Trump have mentioned that his order concentrating on ActBlue is an identical abuse of presidential power. “That is authoritarianism in motion,” Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic Nationwide Committee, said on X.
Trump’s memorandum concentrating on ActBlue builds on years of Republican attacks on the fundraising platform which have intensified forward of the 2025 election. In 2024, Virginia Legal professional Basic Jason Miyares launched a probe, citing “suspicious” contributions, notably from aged donors. In response to Miyares’ probe, ActBlue stated, “This investigation is nothing greater than a partisan political assault and scare tactic to undermine the facility of Democratic and progressive small-dollar donors.”
In October 2024, Republican Rep. Bryan Steil (Wisconsin) raised considerations about ActBlue’s donor verification course of and issued a subpoena demanding inside paperwork from the marketing campaign financing group. In a separate case that very same 12 months, GOP strategist Mark Block filed a lawsuit alleging that his identification was used to make unauthorized contributions by ActBlue. The lawsuit was later dismissed after proof confirmed that the contributions got here from a special one who had mistakenly entered Block’s e-mail tackle.
In March, Republican Rep. Darrell Issa (California) urged the Treasury Department to analyze whether or not ActBlue facilitated donations to “terror-linked organizations and nonprofits.” Issa particularly named the Palestinian Marketing campaign for the Educational and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) and the U.S. Marketing campaign for Palestinian Rights, making this probe a part of a broader campaign concentrating on pro-Palestinian organizers and advocacy teams.
Lately, Elon Musk — who has referred to himself as Trump’s “finest buddy”— has additionally taken intention on the ActBlue, accusing the fundraising platform of “widespread felony identification theft,” illegally funding the #TeslaTakedown protests, and violating marketing campaign finance regulation. Campaign finance experts and Democratic leaders have mentioned that there is no such thing as a substantial proof to assist these allegations.
Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin (Maryland) said on Thursday that Trump’s escalation of Republican assaults on ActBlue was carried out “with exactly zero proof of wrongdoing.” He added, “This president, along with his approval rankings underwater and sinking like a stone, is desperately in search of to undermine his political opposition by slicing off their entry to funding.”
Since returning to workplace, Trump has increasingly used federal energy to target political opponents and former aides who’ve criticized him — revoking security clearances, pressuring law firms, directing the DOJ to analyze former officers, and pushing the Inner Income Service (IRS) to go after his rivals. His newest assault on ActBlue appears designed to chop off funding to his political adversaries.
“With its newest abuse of energy the White Home is offering Democrats with clear affirmative acts each Democrat can do to concretely oppose Trump criminality,” Josh Marshall, founding father of Speaking Factors Memo, said on Bluesky. “Donate THROUGH Act Blue. A [big] a part of this new abuse of energy is to scare folks off from utilizing Act Blue. Hold utilizing it.”
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We’ve borne witness to a chaotic first few months in Trump’s presidency.
Over the past months, every govt order has delivered shock and bewilderment — a core a part of a technique to make the right-wing flip really feel inevitable and overwhelming. However, as organizer Sandra Avalos implored us to recollect in Truthout final November, “Collectively, we’re extra highly effective than Trump.”
Certainly, the Trump administration is pushing by govt orders, however — as we’ve reported at Truthout — many are in authorized limbo and face court docket challenges from unions and civil rights teams. Efforts to quash anti-racist instructing and DEI applications are stalled by training college, employees, and college students refusing to conform. And communities throughout the nation are coming collectively to lift the alarm on ICE raids, inform neighbors of their civil rights, and defend one another in transferring reveals of solidarity.
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