EXCLUSIVE — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has donated $50,000 to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration committee, according to a spokesperson for Washington’s largest business advocacy group.
The giving of the Chamber, which spent a staggering $53.4 million lobbying in favor of pro-business interests last year, is double that of its $25,000 check in 2017 to Trump’s inauguration. The Chamber did not donate to President Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration. In a statement to the Washington Examiner, the organization touted its priorities heading into the next administration.
“The chamber is focused on policies that help America achieve the economic growth it needs to increase paychecks, make housing more affordable, ensure we have a competitive tax code in place when the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires, and cut burdensome regulations that inhibit business from thriving to create opportunities for every American to reach their American dream,” said a spokesperson for the group, referring to Trump’s 2017 tax cuts bill. Key provisions of the legislation are set to expire in December 2025, according to Bloomberg Government.
The spokesperson added, “Working with the incoming Trump administration and Congress, we believe there are many opportunities to ensure the success of American workers and businesses.”
The Chamber’s $50,000 donation illustrates how influential advocacy groups and corporations are flocking to Washington for the inauguration and seeking to get in the good graces of Trump. The number is still substantially less than the giving of companies such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Meta, which pledged $1 million to the inauguration.
Trump’s inaugural committee has reeled in over $170 million — money used for galas and receptions accompanying his Jan. 20 swearing-in.
Last year, the Chamber paid more than 100 lobbyists to influence government policy on issues such as torts, trade, finance, banking, and matters related to the federal budget, according to lobbying disclosures filed with the Senate.
Chamber employees contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to campaigns and political action committees this election cycle, with 86% of the money going to Republicans, according to OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan watchdog group.
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Still, the Chamber has increasingly faced scrutiny from a more populist Republican Party, with some lawmakers arguing it runs cover for “woke” corporations. Last year, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) demanded answers from the Chamber over $12 million it raked in over the years from the Tides Foundation, a left-leaning grantmaker in California.
In the next Trump administration, the Chamber will be tested as it lobbies a GOP administration that is expected to support free-market principles but also aims to oppose corporate programs, including those related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, that Republicans say run counter to meritocracy.
