A game-changing memorandum signed by President Trump kicked off an investigation of suspicious and potentially fraudulent donations received by the biggest Democratic fundraising platform in the U.S. — ActBlue — based on the suspicion that the organization received money from foreign parties and so-called “straw donors.”
For context, a presidential memorandum signed on April 24, 2025, directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate ActBlue’s past donations and identify any fraudulent sources of funding to Democratic campaigns. President Trump’s signing of the memorandum came shortly after the FEC reportedly opened its own investigation of ActBlue after allegations sprang up that Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) had received fraudulent donations from the platform.
In the memorandum, which was shared on X by Rapid Response 47 following its signing, President Trump wrote that ActBlue’s “activities undermine the integrity of our electoral process.” He then added, “Therefore, I direct the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, to use all lawful authority, as necessary, to investigate allegations regarding the unlawful use of online fundraising platforms to make ‘straw’ or ‘dummy’ contributions or foreign contributions to political candidates and committees, and to take all appropriate actions to enforce the law.”
Concluding the memo, President Trump ordered that Attorney General Bondi “report back to me through the Counsel to the President within 180 days of this memorandum on the results of the investigation.” Responding in the comments section, a user with the handle CALI wrote, “This is the way, this is what we voted for, fair elections without voter interference.”
When the White House released a fact sheet regarding the signing of the memorandum, a spokesperson confirmed that they were targeting ActBlue based on donations received in 2024, writing, “A congressional investigation revealed significant fraud schemes using ActBlue and, over a 30-day period during the 2024 election cycle, hundreds of ActBlue donations from foreign IP addresses using prepaid cards, despite it being illegal for foreign nationals to contribute to U.S. elections.”
In response to the opening of the investigation, ActBlue made a statement that fiercely criticized the president, saying, “The Trump Administration’s and GOP’s targeting of ActBlue is part of their brazen attack on democracy in America. Today’s escalation by the White House is blatantly unlawful and needs to be seen for what it is: Donald Trump’s latest front in his campaign to stamp out all political, electoral, and ideological opposition.”
Continuing their statement, ActBlue representatives said that the Trump Administration “continues to weaponize the instruments of federal power in an unprecedented assault on our democracy.” They then added, “ActBlue will immediately pursue all legal avenues to protect and defend itself. It is time for the entire Democratic Party and all Americans who embrace the value of civic participation to unite and create a blue wall against the despotism of this White House and their accomplices in Congress.”
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Following the signing of the memorandum, RNC Chairman Michael Wheatley celebrated the investigation in a post on X, writing, “The Democrats’ Dark Money scam has gone on long enough. Laundering foreign money and using fake donors to influence our elections is illegal and unacceptable.” Wheatley added, “I applaud President Trump and AG Bondi for taking action to get to the bottom of it.”
Featured image credit: whitehouse.gov