Filtering
Trait: Policy outcomes are driven by elite lobbying and financial contributions ×
Clear all
☆ Save this search
Narrow these 40 — tap a value to filter:
Category 4
Attack target 30
The Economy 22Public Service 10Anti-Corruption Safeguards 9Rule of Law 9The Presidency 7Truth 7The Environment 6Immigrants & Refugees 5Low-Income Americans 5Public Health 5Transparency 5Workers 4Disabled People 3Science 3Separation of Powers 3The Sick & Vulnerable 3Children 2Climate Cooperation 2Diplomacy 2Elections 2Trade 2Congress 1Global Democracy 1LGBTQ People 1Minorities 1Public Memory 1The Constitution 1The Courts 1The Justice Department 1Women 1
Tier 1 carried by a primary record
Corroborated 2+ independent news desks
Every result is verified and democracy-related.
Open an event to see its evidence. Attack and trait tags link to their definitions
Jul 22, 2026 Frederick Cooper gave another $1 million to MAGA Inc. while QOL Medical faced FDA allegations Tier 1 · Primary Economic Structure
Large political donations from a regulated executive during active scrutiny raised concerns that access and influence can shape enforcement outcomes.
Independently corroborated by1 independent news desk
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- QOL Medical's CEO Donates $1 Million to MAGA Inc. — On June 8, 2026, Frederick "Derick" Cooper, CEO of QOL Medical, donated $1 million to MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting President Trump.
- QOL Medical CEO's Donation Amid FDA Allegations — Following a letter from the FDA with serious allegations against QOL Medical, CEO Frederick Cooper donated $1 million to Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc.
Attacks
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 79 – 2026-07-18–2026-07-24
wk79_ES_024
Jul 20, 2026 Major consumer brands and SpaceX's PAC funded members of Congress who backed ICE-expansion legislation Tier 1 · Primary Economic Structure
Corporate money supporting coercive-policy legislation showed how private capital can steer public enforcement priorities.
Independently corroborated by1 independent news desk
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- SpaceX and other consumer brands fund ICE-supporting Congress members — Popular Information revealed that SpaceX, along with other major consumer brands like Home Depot, Walmart, Toyota, and Google, have financially supported members of Congress who sponsor or co-sponsor legislation
Attacks
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 79 – 2026-07-18–2026-07-24
wk79_ES_011
Jul 20, 2026 Members of Congress backed dozens of bills to expand ICE's authority and funding Tier 1 · Primary Institutions and Governance
Legislative support for a larger ICE would deepen the institutional reach of immigration enforcement and reduce restraint on coercive power.
Independently corroborated by1 independent news desk
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Congressional support for ICE expansion through legislation — Popular Information identified 110 House members and 37 Senators who have sponsored or co-sponsored at least one of 40 bills aimed at expanding ICE's power during the 119th Congress.
Attacks
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 79 – 2026-07-18–2026-07-24
wk79_IG_018
Jun 5, 2026 A watchdog report and allied coverage showed that many donors to Trump's White House ballroom project later received major federal contracts. Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
The findings exposed a possible pay-to-play pattern and informed the public about hidden influence in federal contracting.
Primary sourceA record that carries the claim alone
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Trump’s Donors Awarded Federal Contracts — A report revealed that 14 of the 27 known donors to Trump's $400 million ballroom project have received new or expanded federal contracts totaling over $50 billion since their donations.
- Watchdog Report on Trump's WH Ballroom Project Donors — A watchdog report has revealed that more than half of the publicly identified corporate donors to Trump's White House ballroom project have received new or expanded federal contracts.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 72 – 2026-05-30–2026-06-05
wk72_IM_006
May 22, 2026 Reynolds American gave $5 million to Trump's super PAC shortly before a favorable vape policy change Corroborated Economic Structure
The timing raised concerns that large political donations were buying policy access and shaping regulatory outcomes.
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Reynolds American Donates to Trump’s Super PAC — Reynolds American, a major tobacco company, donated $5 million to Trump’s super PAC just a week before the Trump administration introduced a policy allowing companies to profit from selling flavored vapes.
Attacks
Verified: Corroborated — 2+ independent news desks
Week 70 – 2026-05-16–2026-05-22
wk70_ES_020
May 18, 2026 President Trump bought and promoted stocks in companies he publicly praised Tier 1 · Primary Economic Structure
The overlap between presidential speech and personal trading raised concerns that public office was being used to shape private gain.
Independently corroborated by3 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Trump Purchases Apple Stock on Day of Public Praise — On March 11, 2026, President Trump purchased between $250,000 and $500,000 of Apple stock, marked as "UNSOLICITED," on the same day he publicly praised Apple and its CEO, Tim Cook, during a speech in Kentucky.
- Trump Purchases Dell Stock Before Public Endorsements — On February 10, 2026, President Trump purchased between $1 million and $5 million worth of Dell Technologies stock.
- Trump Purchases Micron Stock Before Public Endorsement — On March 25, 2026, President Trump purchased between $50,000 and $100,000 in Micron stock, marked as "UNSOLICITED." The following day, Trump publicly praised Micron during an interview on Fox News, highlighting the
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 70 – 2026-05-16–2026-05-22
wk70_ES_009
Apr 27, 2026 EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin defended EPA deregulation and denied meetings later tied to Bayer evidence Tier 1 · Primary Economic Structure
The hearing highlighted possible agency capture and reduced accountability as environmental regulation was aligned with major corporate interests.
Independently corroborated by4 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin Defends Deregulatory Agenda — EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin faced a contentious House hearing defending the agency's deregulatory agenda, which includes rolling back clean air and water standards and granting exemptions to polluting corporations.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 67 – 2026-04-25–2026-05-01
wk67_ES_005
Apr 23, 2026 The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation gave $2 million to Trump's Super PAC during a casino-related regulatory fight Tier 1 · Primary Economic Structure
The donation highlighted how money can be used to seek favorable regulatory outcomes, blurring democratic representation and economic influence.
Independently corroborated by3 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation donates $2 million to MAGA Inc. — On March 5, 2026, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, a small Native American tribe from California, donated $2 million to MAGA Inc., President Trump's Super PAC.
- Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation donates $2 million to Trump’s Super PAC — The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, a small Native American tribe in California, donated $2 million to Trump's Super PAC, MAGA Inc.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 66 – 2026-04-18–2026-04-24
wk66_ES_022
Apr 14, 2026 EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin spoke at a climate denial conference backed by anti-regulatory groups Tier 1 · Primary Power and Authority
The appearance signaled executive alignment with private networks seeking to weaken science-based regulation, affecting public accountability and policy integrity.
Independently corroborated by3 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin Speaks at Climate Denial Conference — Lee Zeldin, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Trump administration, delivered a keynote speech at a conference hosted by the Heartland Institute, a think tank known for denying
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 65 – 2026-04-11–2026-04-17
wk65_PA_007
Mar 23, 2026 HealthEquity gave $1 million to Trump's Super PAC while pushing HSA expansion Corroborated Economic Structure
The donation highlighted how corporate money and policy advocacy can align around rules that benefit a regulated industry.
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- HealthEquity's $1 Million Donation to Trump's Super PAC — HealthEquity, the largest administrator of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) in the U.S., made a $1 million donation to MAGA, Inc., President Trump's Super PAC, on February 6, 2026.
- HealthEquity's Advocacy for Further HSA Market Expansion — HealthEquity is advocating for further expansion of the HSA market, proposing that HSAs be offered with any insurance type and used to pay healthcare premiums.
- Trump Administration's Expansion of HSA Eligibility — The Trump administration's IRS expanded Health Savings Account (HSA) eligibility to include high-deductible plans offered outside the ACA exchanges in December 2025.
Verified: Corroborated — 2+ independent news desks
Week 62 – 2026-03-21–2026-03-27
wk62_ES_009
Mar 11, 2026 Building a Better California and the California Business Roundtable received major tech-billionaire funding to oppose the Billionaire Tax Act Corroborated Economic Structure
The spending showed concentrated private wealth shaping tax policy fights that affect public revenue and services.
Independently corroborated by3 independent news desks
CalMatters · Fortune · MSN
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Building a Better California's Campaign Against Billionaire Tax — Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt have contributed substantial amounts to Building a Better California, a committee opposing the Billionaire Tax Act.
- California Business Roundtable Campaign Against Billionaire Tax — Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, has contributed $1.04 million to the California Business Roundtable, an independent committee campaigning against the proposed Billionaire Tax Act.
Attacks
Verified: Corroborated — 2+ independent news desks
Week 60 – 2026-03-07–2026-03-13
wk60_ES_027
Feb 8, 2026 Freedom 250 and its corporate sponsors offered donor access to President Trump and funded pro-Trump events through large contributions Tier 1 · Primary Economic Structure
The arrangement blurred lines between political access, corporate money, and public-facing civic programming, raising pay-to-play and influence concerns.
Primary sourceA record that carries the claim alone
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Trump Pay-to-Play Scheme Exposed — Freedom 250, an organization linked to the White House, is offering access to President Trump and other benefits to donors contributing at least $1 million.
- Corporations Fund Pro-Trump Events Through Freedom 250 — Major corporations, including Mastercard, Deloitte, and ExxonMobil, are financially supporting Freedom 250, an organization promoting events aligned with President Trump's political agenda.
- ExxonMobil Seeks Favor with Trump Administration — ExxonMobil is sponsoring Freedom 250 to repair its relationship with the Trump administration after CEO Darren Woods' comments about Venezuela being "uninvestible" drew Trump's ire.
Traits
Access to lawmakers is bought through donations and influence networksCrony capitalism becomes indistinguishable from governanceElections are flooded with disinformation funded by elite actorsMemory is curated by power—what cannot be controlled is erasedNational history is rewritten to glorify conquest, not justicePolicy outcomes are driven by elite lobbying and financial contributions
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 56 – 2026-02-07–2026-02-13
wk56_ES_002
Jan 29, 2026 The Trump administration approved Venezuelan oil deals involving trading houses with corruption histories Tier 1 · Primary Economic Structure
The approvals raised concerns that executive economic decisions were favoring politically connected private actors over clean governance.
Independently corroborated by5 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Trump Administration Approves Controversial Venezuelan Oil Deals — The Trump administration approved $500 million in Venezuelan oil deals involving trading houses with histories of bribery and corruption.
Attacks
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 54 – 2026-01-24–2026-01-30
wk54_ES_018
Jan 28, 2026 The EPA said it would stop counting some human health costs in air pollution rulemaking Tier 1 · Primary Power and Authority
The change shifted executive regulatory power toward industry cost concerns and away from public-health harms in federal rulemaking.
Independently corroborated by3 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- EPA Alters Cost-Benefit Analysis for Air Pollution Regulations — The EPA announced it would no longer consider the cost to human health from two common air pollutants when setting regulations, focusing instead on the cost to industry for compliance.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 54 – 2026-01-24–2026-01-30
wk54_PA_012
Jan 15, 2026 The U.S. government sold Venezuelan crude oil to a company linked to a major Trump donor Corroborated Economic Structure
The transaction raised concerns that access to a state-controlled foreign asset stream could be shaped by political money and insider ties.
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- U.S. Sells Venezuelan Crude Oil — The U.S.
Verified: Corroborated — 2+ independent news desks
Week 52 – 2026-01-10–2026-01-16
wk52_ES_021
Jan 9, 2026 President Trump signed an executive order shielding Venezuelan oil revenue from court process and placing disbursement under executive control Tier 1 · Primary Power and Authority
The order concentrated control over foreign-linked funds in the executive branch and limited outside legal review of those assets.
Primary sourceA record that carries the claim alone
Independently corroborated by2 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Trump signs executive order to protect Venezuelan oil revenue — President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at preventing courts or creditors from impounding revenue tied to the sale of Venezuelan oil held in US treasury accounts.
- Executive Order: Safeguarding Venezuelan Oil Revenue — On January 9, 2026, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to protect Venezuelan oil revenue held in U.S.
Attacks
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 51 – 2026-01-03–2026-01-09
wk51_PA_010
Jan 8, 2026 President Trump relaxed the Venezuelan oil embargo and announced large oil shipments to the United States Tier 1 · Primary Economic Structure
The policy shift changed market access in a way that appeared to benefit connected refinery and investment interests after military intervention.
Independently corroborated by4 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Trump relaxes Venezuelan oil embargo — President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Venezuela would be sending between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, effectively relaxing the U.S.
Attacks
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 51 – 2026-01-03–2026-01-09
wk51_ES_025
Dec 11, 2025 President Trump issued an executive order establishing a national AI policy framework that challenged state AI laws Tier 1 · Primary Power and Authority
The order centralized AI policy in the executive branch and threatened state autonomy by tying federal power to compliance with a national standard.
Primary sourceA record that carries the claim alone
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Executive Order on National AI Policy Framework — On December 11, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to establish a national policy framework for artificial intelligence (AI).
- Trump Plans Executive Order to Preempt State AI Laws — President Trump announced plans to sign an executive order preempting state AI regulations, citing the need for a unified national framework.
- Trump signs executive order to prevent state regulation of AI — On December 11, 2025, Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at preventing states from regulating artificial intelligence (AI).
Traits
Administrative agencies are deregulated or captured by private interestsCrony capitalism becomes indistinguishable from governanceExecutive power operates without effective oversightFederal power is weaponized against disfavored states or localitiesPolicy outcomes are driven by elite lobbying and financial contributionsWealth buys not only speech, but law
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 47 – 2025-12-06–2025-12-12
wk47_PA_011
Nov 4, 2025 Extremity Care secretly donated $2.5 million to Trump's ballroom project while benefiting from a delayed Medicare rule Tier 1 · Primary Economic Structure
The donation highlighted possible regulatory capture by linking hidden political giving to favorable federal reimbursement policy.
Independently corroborated by2 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Extremity Care Secretly Donates $2.5 Million to Trump Ballroom — Extremity Care, a company benefiting from a regulatory freeze on Medicare coverage rules, secretly donated $2.5 million towards the construction of a new White House ballroom, a priority for President Trump.
Attacks
Traits
Administrative agencies are deregulated or captured by private interestsCrony capitalism becomes indistinguishable from governanceMemory is curated by power—what cannot be controlled is erasedPolicy outcomes are driven by elite lobbying and financial contributionsTransparency laws are weakened or unenforcedWealth buys not only speech, but law
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 42 – 2025-11-01–2025-11-07
wk42_ES_011
Sep 4, 2025 The Congressional Budget Office and public polling showed Trump's tax law favored high earners and deepened economic pessimism Tier 1 · Primary Economic Structure
The findings highlighted unequal distribution of policy benefits and declining public confidence in economic mobility.
Primary sourceA record that carries the claim alone
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Congressional Budget Office estimates impact of Trump's tax law — The Congressional Budget Office estimated that under Trump's tax law, families earning less than $50,000 would receive minimal tax cuts while losing access to Medicaid and food assistance, while those earning over $1
- Poll reveals economic pessimism among Americans — A Wall Street Journal-NORC poll found that only 25% of Americans believe they can improve their standard of living, with nearly 70% stating it is no longer possible to work hard and get ahead.
Attacks
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 33 – 2025-08-30–2025-09-05
wk33_ES_016
Sep 4, 2025 White House officials and House Republicans met to rebrand an unpopular bill with a new public label Tier 1 · Primary Institutions and Governance
The effort showed coordinated message management around legislation, raising accountability concerns about policy presentation versus substance.
Independently corroborated by2 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Trump administration officials meet with Republican congress members to rebrand unpopular legislation — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and other Trump administration officials met with Republican congress members to discuss strategies for rebranding the unpopular "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act." They
Attacks
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 33 – 2025-08-30–2025-09-05
wk33_IG_023
Jul 14, 2025 Texas Governor Greg Abbott's office refused to release emails between Abbott and Elon Musk Corroborated Information, Memory and Manipulation
The refusal blocked scrutiny of government contacts with a powerful private actor and narrowed public-record transparency.
Independently corroborated by2 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Texas Governor Refuses to Release Emails with Elon Musk — Texas Governor Greg Abbott's office refused to release emails between Abbott and Elon Musk, citing "intimate and embarrassing" content.
Attacks
Verified: Corroborated — 2+ independent news desks
Week 26 – 2025-07-12–2025-07-18
wk26_IM_007
Jul 3, 2025 Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act after final House approval Tier 1 · Primary Institutions and Governance
The final passage completed a major policy shift through a narrow partisan process that tested congressional independence and procedure.
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Hakeem Jeffries delivers record-breaking House floor speech against GOP tax bill — On Thursday, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries delivered the longest House floor speech in history, speaking for over eight hours to delay a vote on Donald Trump's $4.5 trillion tax-and-spending bill.
- House of Representatives Advances Trump’s Tax-and-Spending Bill — The House of Representatives advanced Donald Trump's tax-and-spending bill, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, after a procedural vote.
- Passage of Trump's Signature Tax and Spending Bill — On July 3, 2025, the U.S.
Attacks
Traits
Chaos is used as a strategy to fragment focus and disable accountabilityCitizenship is stratified by wealth, ideology, and heritageCrony capitalism becomes indistinguishable from governanceExecutive power operates without effective oversightIndependent media is starved while state-aligned outlets thriveInequality is not a flaw—it is a function of the systemLaw is a weapon of the state, not a limit on its powerLegislatures function as performance, not deliberationPolicy outcomes are driven by elite lobbying and financial contributionsTax codes are engineered to favor capital, not laborWealth buys not only speech, but law
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 24 – 2025-06-28–2025-07-04
wk24_IG_032
Jun 30, 2025 The Senate passed the budget bill with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote Corroborated Institutions and Governance
The passage showed how a narrow majority and reconciliation rules enabled major policy change with limited bipartisan support.
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Senate passes budget bill with tie-breaking vote — The Senate passed a budget bill with a vote of 51-50, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.
- Senate Republicans pass major tax and spending bill — On Tuesday, Senate Republicans passed a significant tax and spending bill, a key part of Donald Trump's agenda, after weeks of negotiations.
- Senate Republicans pass Trump’s sweeping policy bill — On July 1, 2025, Senate Republicans passed a significant policy bill championed by Donald Trump, which includes cuts to major safety net programs like Medicaid and provisions for mass deportations and border wall
Verified: Corroborated — 2+ independent news desks
Week 24 – 2025-06-28–2025-07-04
wk24_IG_008
Jun 5, 2025 MGX and World Liberty Financial used the Trump-backed stablecoin USD1 in a $2 billion Binance investment Tier 1 · Primary Economic Structure
The transaction highlighted how a politically connected financial product could blend private profit, foreign capital, and public influence.
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- UAE investment in Binance using Trump-backed stablecoin USD1 — The investment firm MGX, owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates, used the Trump-backed stablecoin USD1 to make a $2 billion investment in the crypto trading platform Binance.
Attacks
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 20 – 2025-05-31–2025-06-06
wk20_ES_023