President Donald Trump’s inaugural committee accepted a $1 million donation from Gotion, a China-linked battery manufacturing company, despite the firm being heavily criticized by his campaign during the 2024 election cycle, according to a Detroit News report published Monday evening.
“Trump’s inaugural committee released a list of $239 million in accepted contributions Sunday night, revealing Gotion gave $1 million on Jan. 8,” the report stated. It further revealed that Michigan corporations and executives donated more than $6 million in total to Trump’s second inauguration, nearly triple what was raised from the state for his first.
More: Karoline Leavitt Shares Adorable Family Zoo Day After Chaos Erupts at White House Briefing
More: Trump Demands Courts Punish Media and Democrats Over MS-13 Deportation Drama
The revelation has raised eyebrows, given Gotion’s prominent role in Republican attacks on Democrats during last year’s election, particularly in Michigan. The firm has plans to construct a large battery plant near Big Rapids, Michigan, with the support of state tax incentives — a project that became a political flashpoint during the 2024 campaign.
Republicans, including Trump and then-vice presidential candidate JD Vance, seized on the deal as evidence of Democratic weakness on China. Trump repeatedly slammed the project, branding it a threat to national security and local jobs. “The Gotion plant would be very bad for the State and our Country,” Trump said at a campaign stop in August. He went further, warning the plant “would put Michiganders under the thumb of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing.”
The project also became central to Republican messaging in congressional races. The National Republican Congressional Committee used the Gotion connection to paint Democratic candidates as soft on China, accusing them of accepting funds tied to “Gotion’s foreign agents.”
Despite these fierce attacks, the Trump inaugural fund’s acceptance of a seven-figure contribution from Gotion has sparked questions about consistency and transparency in campaign finance practices.
More: Barack and Michelle Obama’s $70M Divorce Battle Explodes as Michelle Allegedly Tells Daughters to Pick Sides
More: Pete Hegseth Under Fire for Sending Top-Secret Yemen Plans to Wife and Brother
When contacted for comment about the donation, Joe Cella — a Trump-appointed ambassador to Fiji and a leading critic of the Gotion project in Michigan — appeared unbothered. “I really have no reaction,” Cella told The Detroit News.
The contradiction between rhetoric on the campaign trail and behind-the-scenes fundraising practices has fueled scrutiny, as Trump and his allies continue to frame themselves as defenders against Chinese influence. The disclosure comes at a politically sensitive time, as Trump ramps up his efforts to reclaim battleground states like Michigan, which he narrowly flipped in 2024 after losing them in the previous cycle.
You Might Also Like:
- Meghan Markle Reportedly Struggling Under Pressure of Her Own Expectations
- Trump Reportedly Stands by Embattled Defense Chief as ‘Signalgate’ Scandal Deepens
- George Clooney Drops Bombshell Confession About Wife Amal Amid Divorce Rumors
- 4-Year-Old Daughter Survives Weeks Alone Next to Mother and Brother’s Dead Bodies in NYC Apartment
- Trump’s Inaugural Fund Took Bombshell $1M From China-Linked Firm He Later Attacked