Trump Promises And Payments Tracker

June 20, 2024

Tracking The Big Oil Promises And Payments

April 11, 2024: Trump Asked Oil Executives For $1 Billion

April 11, 2024: Trump Held A Private Dinner At Mar-a-Lago With 20 Oil Executives Organized By Oil Billionaire Harold Hamm. According to the Washington Post, “On Thursday, Trump held a private dinner at his Mar-a-Lago Club and resort with about 20 oil executives from some of the country’s biggest firms, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, Continental Resources, Chesapeake Energy and Occidental Petroleum, according to a guest list reviewed by The Washington Post. The effort was largely organized by Harold Hamm, an oil billionaire and Trump donor who runs Continental Resources and has helped recruit other donors to the Trump campaign.” [Washington Post, 4/12/24]

Trump Told Those At The Dinner That They Should Raise $1 Billion To Return Him To The White House Because It Would Be A “Deal” Compared To The Taxation And Regulation They Would Avoid Under His Presidency. According to the Washington Post, “Trump’s response stunned several of the executives in the room overlooking the ocean: You all are wealthy enough, he said, that you should raise $1 billion to return me to the White House. At the dinner, he vowed to immediately reverse dozens of President Biden’s environmental rules and policies and stop new ones from being enacted, according to people with knowledge of the meeting, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a private conversation. Giving $1 billion would be a ‘deal,’ Trump said, because of the taxation and regulation they would avoid thanks to him, according to the people.” [Washington Post, 5/9/24]

…Days Later, The Oil Industry Discussed How To Meet Trump’s $1 Billion Ask

In The Days Following The Meeting, Oil Industry Donors And Executives Held Discussions Over How They Could Meet Trump’s $1 Billion Request. According to the Washington Post, “In the days following the recent meeting with oil industry donors, executives discussed whether it would even be possible to meet Trump’s $1 billion request, according to four people in the oil industry familiar with the discussions.” [Washington Post, 5/28/24]

The Money And The Promises

The Money	Trump’s Promises
April 11, 2024: Trump Held A Private Dinner At Mar-a-Lago With 20 Oil Executives Organized By Harold Hamm. According to the Washington Post, “On Thursday, Trump held a private dinner at his Mar-a-Lago Club and resort with about 20 oil executives from some of the country’s biggest firms, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, Continental Resources, Chesapeake Energy and Occidental Petroleum, according to a guest list reviewed by The Washington Post. The effort was largely organized by Harold Hamm, an oil billionaire and Trump donor who runs Continental Resources and has helped recruit other donors to the Trump campaign.” [Washington Post, 4/12/24]	At The Dinner, Trump Told Oil Executives That If He Was Elected He Would Roll Back Environmental Rules That Hampered The Oil Industry. According to the New York Times, “Former President Donald J. Trump told a group of oil executives and lobbyists gathered at a dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort last month that they should donate $1 billion to his presidential campaign because, if elected, he would roll back environmental rules that he said hampered their industry, according to two people who were there.” [New York Times, 5/9/24] Trump Repeated His Promises To Repeal Biden’s Pollution Controls. According to the New York Times, “Over a dinner of chopped steak, Mr. Trump repeated his public promises to delete Mr. Biden’s pollution controls, telling the attendees that they should donate heavily to help him beat Mr. Biden because his policies would help their industries.” [New York Times, 5/9/24] Trump Told Oil Executives His Administration Would Open New Offshore Drilling, Speed Permitting, And Relax Regulations. According to the Washington Post, “Yet oil giants will see an even greater windfall — helped by new offshore drilling, speedier permits and other relaxed regulations — in a second Trump administration, the former president told the executives over the dinner of chopped steak at Mar-a-Lago.” [Washington Post, 5/9/24] Trump Said He Would Auction More Oil Leases In The Gulf Of Mexico. According to the Washington Post, “Trump told the executives that he would start auctioning off more leases for oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, a priority that several of the executives raised. He railed against wind power, as The Post previously reported. And he said he would reverse the restrictions on drilling in the Alaskan Arctic.” [Washington Post, 5/9/24] Trump Told Oil Executives He Would Immediately End The Biden Administration’s Freeze On New LNG Export Permits On His First Day In Office. According to the Washington Post, “Trump vowed at the dinner to immediately end the Biden administration’s freeze on permits for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports — a top priority for the executives, according to three people present. ‘You’ll get it on the first day,’ Trump said, according to the recollection of an attendee.” [Washington Post, 5/9/24] Trump Said He Would Reverse Biden’s Restrictions On Drilling In The Alaskan Arctic. According to the Washington Post, “Trump told the executives that he would start auctioning off more leases for oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, a priority that several of the executives raised. He railed against wind power, as The Post previously reported. And he said he would reverse the restrictions on drilling in the Alaskan Arctic.” [Washington Post, 5/9/24] Trump Promised To End Biden’s EV “Mandate.” According to the Washington Post, “At the dinner, Trump also promised that he would scrap Biden’s ‘mandate’ on electric vehicles — mischaracterizing ambitious rules that the Environmental Protection Agency recently finalized, according to people who attended. The rules require automakers to reduce emissions from car tailpipes, but they don’t mandate a particular technology such as EVs. Trump called the rules ‘ridiculous’ in the meeting with donors.” [Washington Post, 5/9/24] Trump Told Oil Executives He Would Do What He Could To Help The Oil And Gas Industry. According to the Washington Post, “Trump told executives at the fundraising dinner he would open up the Gulf of Mexico to drilling, a person with knowledge of the meeting said, lift Biden’s pause on new liquefied natural gas exports, speed up drilling permits, reverse regulations aimed at deploying electric vehicles, and do what he could to help the oil and gas industry. He listened to each executive for about four or five minutes.” [Washington Post, 4/17/24] Trump Told Oil Execs That He’d Do Much Of What They Wanted “On Day 1.” According to the Washington Post, “Near the end of the meeting, Trump told executives that they should contribute to his campaign — the leader of his main super PAC was in the room — because he was trailing Biden financially. His policies would be much better for the oil and gas industry than those of Biden, and he’d do much of what they wanted ‘on Day 1,’ he said.” [Washington Post, 4/17/24]
April 29, 2024: Harold Hamm’s Continental Resources Gave $1 Million To MAGA Inc. [Federal Election Commission, Accessed 5/31/24]
April 30, 2024: Richard B. Gilliam Jr. Donated $200,000 To The Republican National Committee. [Federal Election Commission, Accessed 5/31/24] Richard B. Gilliam Jr. Was The Son Of Richard B. Gilliam Sr., Who Established Cumberland Resources Corp., A Coal Company. According to James Madison University, “She speaks from family experience. Her father, Richard Baxter Gilliam Sr., established and developed Cumberland Resources Corp., which owned and operated bituminous coal and lignite underground and surface mines in Southwestern Virginia and Eastern Kentucky. The company was sold to Massey Energy in 2010. […] The commitment to JMU comes from Leslie Gilliam’s family, including widower Richard Baxter Gilliam Sr., son Richard Baxter Gilliam Jr., and daughters Julia Gilliam Sterling and Anna Gilliam.” [James Madison University, 10/26/18]
May 7, 2024: American Petroleum Institute Launched Ads In Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Ohio, And Key Regions “Urging Policymakers To Harness America’s Abundant Oil And Natural Gas.” According to the American Petroleum Institute, “The American Petroleum Institute (API) today launched a new ad series in key states ahead of the summer driving season urging policymakers to harness America’s abundant oil and natural gas – an economic and security advantage for America. The new ads – part of API’s multi-year Lights On Energy campaign – features a racecar as a metaphor for America in a race for its future competing against foreign nations, which want to fill growing energy needs. Running this summer on cable and broadcast in Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Ohio and key regions, as well as across digital platforms, API is educating voters on what’s at stake for the future of our economy, security and global competitiveness from Washington’s energy policymaking. ‘API’s Lights On Energy campaign tackles two of the major issues on voters’ minds this year: the economy and national security,’” [Press Release – American Petroleum Institute, 5/7/24] The American Petroleum Institute Spent Eight Figures On Its “Lights On Energy” Ad Campaign. According to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, “Among the industry’s biggest political contributors is the high-powered American Petroleum Institute (API), which has contributed about $3.7 million so far this cycle, the vast majority to conservative groups and Republican candidates. The group is also spending eight figures on a national TV and digital ad campaign, dubbed the Lights on Energy campaign, which seeks to push for more domestic oil and gas production and ‘dismantle’ policy threats, including portions of the Biden administration’s climate agenda.” [Pennsylvania Capital-Star, 5/2/24] May 7, 2024: Americans For Prosperity Announced An Ad Campaign In Pennsylvania, Ohio, Nevada, Wisconsin, And Montana Urging Permitting Reform As A Solution To Lower Costs. According to Americans for Prosperity, “Americans for Prosperity today announced a seven-figure awareness campaign urging permitting reform as a key solution to unleash energy abundance and lower costs for all Americans. The campaign featuring connected TV and digital ads will highlight how prosperity is possible with affordable energy and will call for reforms to unleash energy abundance. Under the Bidenomics agenda, energy is more expensive than ever—and it’s making the American dream unaffordable. Over the next four weeks, Americans for Prosperity will be raising awareness of permitting reform as a key solution that increases energy production and makes life more affordable. The campaign will feature ads in the key Senate states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Nevada, and Montana. The ads will air as part of ‘Prosperity is Possible’, a sustained effort to change the way Americans think about tackling our biggest economic challenges.” [Press Release – Americans for Prosperity, 5/7/24]
May 9, 2024: Americans For Prosperity Launched A “Seven Figure” Ad Campaign “To Amplify President Joe Biden‘s Problems With Inflation And Hold Democrats To Account For Their Economic Policies.” According to the Washington Examiner, “Americans for Prosperity is pumping money into battleground states to amplify President Joe Biden‘s problems with inflation and hold Democrats to account for their economic policies before this November’s general elections. AFP, founded by billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch, is spending ‘seven figures’ from Thursday on digital and connected TV ads in five Senate races and 26 House contests, in addition to Washington, D.C., to appeal to the political chattering class, according to the libertarian-conservative nonprofit political advocacy group. The 15- and 30-second spots contend Biden’s economic policies, known collectively as ‘Bidenomics,’ are ‘failing American families,’ AFP Government Affairs Vice President Akash Chougule told the Washington Examiner. They will be broadcast in states and congressional districts of Democrats who backed Bidenomics.” [Washington Examiner, 5/9/24]
	May 11, 2024: Trump Promised To End Offshore Wind With An Executive Order “On Day One.” According to Bloomberg, “Donald Trump vowed to issue an executive order targeting offshore wind development if he wins a second term as president, making his most explicit threat yet toward the growing industry. The presumptive Republican nominee derided offshore wind projects as lethal for birds and whales during his oceanfront rally Saturday in Wildwood, New Jersey, and committed to take action. ‘We are going to make sure that that ends on day one,’ he said. ‘I’m going to write it out in an executive order’” [Bloomberg, 5/12/24]
May 13, 2024: American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers Launched A $6.6 Million Ad Buy Attacking The Biden Administration’s Tailpipe Emissions Rule. According to NBC News, “A fuel industry group is launching a new $6.6 million ad buy criticizing President Joe Biden and Democratic Senate candidates in key swing states over the administration’s new emissions standards that are expected to lead to dramatic cuts in the production of gas-powered cars. The ads from the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) start Monday and will air in various television and digital markets in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Ohio, Montana, Wisconsin, Texas, Georgia and Arizona, the group told NBC News. Even as the race between Biden and former President Donald Trump is expected to draw a historic amount of spending, the only groups aside from pro-Trump outfits spending significant money on ads attacking Biden in recent months are related to the oil industry.” [NBC News, 5/13/24]
May 14, 2024: John Paulson And John Catsimatidis Hosted A Fundraiser For Trump. According to Bloomberg, “Billionaires Howard Lutnick, John Paulson and Woody Johnson are among the wealthy donors hosting a Manhattan fundraiser for Donald Trump later this month as the presumptive Republican nominee looks to build his 2024 war chest while a criminal trial limits his campaigning. Lutnick, the chief executive officer of Cantor Fitzgerald, is heading up the May 14 dinner, according to an invitation obtained by Bloomberg News. Hedge fund investor Paulson, New York Jets owner Johnson, grocery store magnate John Catsimatidis of Red Apple Group, Hunter Global Investors LP founder Duke Buchan III, Farvahar Partners founder Omeed Malik, Pepe Fanjul of Florida Crystals Corp., Mason Capital Management LLC’s Kenneth Garschina, Margarita Paláu-Hernández of Hernandez Ventures and Witkoff Group founder Steve Witkoff are co-hosting the event.” [Bloomberg, 5/28/24] Catsimatidis Was The CEO Of United Refining Company John Catsimatidis Was CEO And Chairman Of United Refining Company. According to the United Refining Company, “John A. Catsimatidis has been Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since February 1986, when his wholly-owned company, United Acquisition Corp., purchased our parent. He also served as President from February 1986 until September 1996. He also is Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President, and the founder of Red Apple Group, Inc. (a holding company for certain businesses, including the Company and corporations which operate supermarkets in New York).” [United Refining Company, accessed 5/14/24] Paulson Was Invested In A Major LNG Producer John Paulson Was The Founder Of Paulson & Co. Inc. According to Forbes, “John Paulson Founder, Paulson & Co. Inc.” [Forbes, Accessed 4/18/24] Paulson & Co. Held 4 Million Shares Of Tellurian Inc New. According to a Form 13F information table filed with the SEC by Paulson & Co. Inc., “TELLURIAN INC NEW” was listed with value as “4,035,405” and shares as “5,340,663” on a Form 13F information table filed with the SEC on “2024-02-14” with the reporting date listed as “2023-12-31.” [SEC – Paulson & Co. Inc. Form 13F Information Table, 2/14/24] [SEC – Paulson & Co. Inc. Filings, Accessed 4/18/24] Tellurian Said It Was An LNG Company Responsible For 36% Of Global LNG And 79% Of U.S. LNG Production. According to Tellurian’s website, “Tellurian’s management team has over 80 years of combined development experience globally. We are responsible for ~36% of the global LNG and ~79% of the US LNG in production today.” [Tellurian, Accessed 4/18/24]
May 15, 2024: Trump Held A Fundraiser At Coal Baron Joe Craft’s Home. According to the Washington Post, “He also held a fundraiser at the home of Kentucky coal baron Joe Craft earlier in May, according to a person with knowledge of the event.” [Washington Post, 5/28/24] May 15, 2024: Trump Held A Fundraiser In Lexington, KY Hosted By Joe And Kelly Craft. According to WKYT, “Former President Donald Trump touched down in the Bluegrass just before 5 p.m. Wednesday evening, welcomed in by some supporters en route to a private fundraising dinner in Lexington. The presumptive GOP nominee’s visit comes less than a week before Kentucky’s primaries and was hosted by Kelly and Joe Craft at an undisclosed location.” [WKYT, 5/15/24] May 15, 2024: Americans for Prosperity Launched A Seven-Figure Digital Ad Campaign Targeting Seven States “Calling On Congress To End The Biden Border Crisis.” According to Americans for Prosperity, “Today, Americans for Prosperity (AFP) launched its digital ads campaign ‘Secure Borders, Secure America,’ calling on Congress to end the Biden border crisis. AFP is investing seven figures in this campaign. During the next three months, a series of 30-second ads featuring retired Chief Border Patrol Agent Chris Clem, who advises AFP on border security, will be targeting the States of Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Florida, Colorado and Arizona.” [Americans for Prosperity, 5/15/24]
May 22, 2024: Trump Raised $40 Million From Oil Executives And Donors At Houston And Dallas Fundraisers. According to Bloomberg, “Donald Trump raised $40 million from oil executives and other deep-pocketed donors in Texas, marking Wednesday’s haul as one of the most profitable days for the presumptive Republican nominee seeking to close a fundraising gap with President Joe Biden. The one-day cash raise from events in Houston and Dallas, described by people familiar with the events, comes as Trump directly appeals to the oil industry for support in his presidential bid with promises to dial back environmental regulations, which are drawing congressional scrutiny.” [Bloomberg, 5/23/24] Kelcy Warren Was A Co-Host Of One Of The Fundraisers. According to the Washington Post, “One co-host of Wednesday’s fundraiser was Kelcy Warren, the billionaire chairman and CEO of Energy Transfer Partners, the builder of the Dakota Access pipeline. During the GOP presidential primaries, Warren donated tens of thousands of dollars to one of Trump’s main rivals, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), according to Federal Election Commission filings.” [Washington Post, 5/23/24] One Event Was Co-Hosted By George Bishop Of GeoSouthern And Jeff Hildebrand Of Hilcorp. According to the Financial Times, “One Houston event was hosted by shale oil tycoon Harold Hamm, chair of Continental Resources, alongside Occidental Petroleum chief Vicki Hollub and Energy Transfer chair Kelcy Warren. Jeff Hildebrand of Hilcorp, another oil company, and George Bishop of GeoSouthern Energy were among the hosts of another meeting.” [Financial Times, 5/23/24] The Houston Event Was Co-Hosted By Harold Hamm, Kelcy Warren, And Vicki Hollub, Chair Of Occidental Petroleum. According to the Financial Times, “One Houston event was hosted by shale oil tycoon Harold Hamm, chair of Continental Resources, alongside Occidental Petroleum chief Vicki Hollub and Energy Transfer chair Kelcy Warren. Jeff Hildebrand of Hilcorp, another oil company, and George Bishop of GeoSouthern Energy were among the hosts of another meeting.” [Financial Times, 5/23/24] Trump Held A Small Roundtable Before His Speech In Houston. According to the Washington Post, “Hollub was one of several co-hosts of the fundraiser at a luxurious hotel in Houston, and the interaction came in a private roundtable for the top donors that preceded Trump’s speech. The overall event raised more than $15 million, Trump campaign officials said. Other organizers included Harold Hamm, the executive chairman of the oil giant Continental Resources, and Kelcy Warren, the billionaire chairman and CEO of Energy Transfer Partners.” [Washington Post, 5/31/24] Attendees Were Mainly Oil Executives, Who Talked With Trump. According to the Washington Post, “Phones were taken before attendees entered the smaller room. A few other elected officials also attended the event, but it was mainly oil executives, according to people with knowledge of the matter. At the roundtable, the top donors were given access to talk with Trump about whatever was on their minds, according to people briefed on the event.” [Washington Post, 5/31/24]	At The Houston Fundraiser Hosted By Harold Hamm, Trump Promised To Cut Corporate Taxes And Give Oil Execs An Array Of Policies They Wanted. According to the Washington Post, “Hamm had an event for Trump in Texas on Wednesday, where the price of admission was about $250,000 for oil executives, according to people familiar with the matter. The meeting stretched for many hours, attendees said, and included photos with the top donors. At the fundraiser, he promised to cut taxes on corporations and give oil executives an array of policies they wanted and said he was being outraised by the Democrats and the unions, asking the crowd to ‘be generous, please.’” [Washington Post, 5/28/24] Trump Suggested To Oil Executive Donors That He Would Ease FTC Scrutiny Of Their Mergers. According to the Washington Post, “Former president Donald Trump suggested to oil executive donors this month that he could ease the Federal Trade Commission’s scrutiny of their industry’s mergers and acquisitions if he returns to the White House, according to five people familiar with the matter.” [Washington Post, 5/31/24] Occidental CEO Vicki Hollub Told Trump Her Company’s Acquisition Of Another Was Delayed Because Of FTC Oversight. According to the Washington Post, “During a fundraiser in Houston on May 22, oil executives complained that the FTC has taken too long to approve deals and has requested too much information. Occidental Petroleum CEO Vicki Hollub told Trump that her company’s $12 billion acquisition of the oil and gas producer CrownRock had been delayed as the government sought information off her phone, five people with knowledge of the meeting said.”[Washington Post, 5/31/24] Washington Post: Trump “Vowed That His Administration Would Treat Her Differently If He Won The Presidency.” According to the Washington Post, “Trump expressed dismay that the federal government had probed her phone for information and vowed that his administration would treat her differently if he won the presidency, according to the people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.” [Washington Post, 5/31/24] Trump Promised “Immediate Approvals For Energy Infrastructure. That’s Pipelines, Power Plants.” According to the Washington Post, “In a rambling fundraising pitch to oil executives in Houston on Wednesday, former president Donald Trump promised them that he would immediately approve their projects and expand drilling in a second term — just as he worked to expedite the controversial Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines soon after taking office in 2017. Trump said that if he returned to office in January, he would issue ‘immediate approvals for energy infrastructure. That’s pipelines, power plants,’ according to the detailed notes of one attendee at the fundraiser who shared them on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.” [Washington Post, 5/23/24] Trump Promised To Open Up ANWR To Drilling. According to the Washington Post, “Trump promised the oil executives that he would open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to drilling. His administration had auctioned off oil and gas leases in the refuge, one of the nation’s last unspoiled wild places, days before Trump left office.” [Washington Post, 5/23/24] Trump Promised To Revoke California’s Clean Air Act Wavier, Which Allowed The State To Set Tougher Car Emissions Limits. According to the Washington Post, “Many of the donors complained about Biden administration policies, and Trump pledged to reverse some of them. For instance, he promised to revoke California’s waiver under the Clean Air Act, which allows the state to set tougher emissions limits for passenger cars than those of the federal government.” [Washington Post, 5/31/24] Trump Vowed To Shift The Focus Of The International Energy Agency From Combating Climate Change To Boosting Fossil Fuels. According to the Washington Post, “Trump also vowed to shift the focus of the International Energy Agency, the world’s top energy watchdog, from combating climate change to boosting fossil fuels. In recent years, the IEA has focused more on clean energy, angering top oil producers and clashing with Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” philosophy. The United States provides about a quarter of IEA’s funding, and Trump could push to replace its director, Fatih Birol, with someone more sympathetic to fossil fuel interests.” [Washington Post, 5/31/24]
May 30, 2024: On The Evening Of His Conviction, Trump Held A Fundraiser With John Catsimatidis. According to ABC News, “Former President Donald Trump is firing up his fundraising machine after being found guilty on all 34 counts in his hush money trial — attending a campaign fundraiser with top Republican donors an on the Upper East Side Manhattan Thursday night and blasting out fundraising emails to small-dollar donors just minutes after the verdict dropped. The Manhattan fundraiser was an intimate event, attended by a little more than a couple dozen people including staff, described by one attendee as ‘Very upbeat. Very positive.’ […] Other attendees included longtime friend and donor Steve Witkoff, who had joined Trump at court several times throughout the trial, and WABC radio owner John Catsimatidis.” [ABC News, 5/31/24]
Total: $47,800,000