Trump’s True Crimes – Episode 77: Foreign Influence in Inauguration Fund

When Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States on January 20th, 2017, the world saw a grand display on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. But behind the scenes, the inauguration became something else entirely—a money funnel. The Trump Inaugural Committee raised a record-breaking **\$107 million**, more than twice as much as Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration, and far more than what was necessary to stage the event.

So where did all that money come from? And more importantly, where did it go?

That’s where the real story begins.

Federal investigators later uncovered that the Inaugural Committee became a backdoor for **foreign money**—from countries like Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia—flowing into American politics, in violation of U.S. law. Foreign nationals are strictly prohibited from donating to U.S. political campaigns and events. Yet, through shell companies, straw donors, and shadowy intermediaries, foreign actors found a way in.

One glaring example: Sam Patten, a lobbyist with ties to pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians. Patten pleaded guilty in 2018 to funneling $50,000 from a Ukrainian oligarch into Trump’s Inaugural Committee. He even admitted to using a straw purchaser—an American citizen—to buy four inauguration tickets for the oligarch. That’s not just shady. That’s illegal.

Another case involved Imaad Zuberi, a California businessman who donated nearly a million dollars to Trump’s inauguration. Zuberi later pleaded guilty to tax evasion, campaign finance violations, and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. He admitted that much of his political giving came from overseas clients, particularly in the Middle East, who wanted access to U.S. politicians. In other words, foreign governments and elites were literally buying their way into Trump’s Washington.

But it wasn’t only about the money coming in. It was also about the money going out. Huge chunks of the inauguration funds were funneled into Trump’s own properties. Millions were spent at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., at inflated rates. The nonprofit Inaugural Committee even paid over \$1.5 million for ballroom space that the hotel itself valued at a fraction of that. According to investigators, Ivanka Trump personally negotiated those deals.

Think about that: foreign-tied money comes into the Inaugural Committee, then that money gets redirected into Trump’s businesses. That’s foreign influence laundered into personal profit.

The inauguration was supposed to be a celebration of democracy. Instead, it looked more like an auction—where access to Trump and his inner circle went to the highest bidder. Corporate lobbyists, foreign oligarchs, and questionable intermediaries walked away with favors, influence, and a direct line to the new administration.

The long-term impact? Decisions on foreign policy, trade, and security that may have been tilted in favor of those who helped bankroll Trump’s rise. When foreign powers can buy a seat at the table, American democracy is no longer working for the American people. It’s working for those who paid the most.

This is the deeper truth about Trump’s inauguration: it wasn’t just a historic day in Washington. It was a **cash-for-access scheme**, a blending of political power and personal enrichment that left the United States vulnerable to foreign influence from the very start of Trump’s presidency.