Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) , Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on The Constitution , joined U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) , Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) , and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in demanding answers about the Trump Administration’s awarding of millions in federal contracts to Event Strategies, Inc. (ESI), the event management firm that organized the rally used to incite the January 6, 2021, insurrection on the U.S. Capitol.  Since January 2025, ESI has received more than $22 million in taxpayer-funded contracts, including for events associated with the country’s 250 th anniversary. In their letter to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, the Senators requested detailed information regarding the Trump Administration’s policies and practices in awarding federal contracts and any guardrails in place to prevent potential conflicts of interest. “Through this concerning pattern of behavior, the Trump Administration continues to send Americans a clear message: it is willing to reward loyalty with political and economic favoritism at taxpayers’ expense. The American people deserve an administration committed to transparency, responsible spending of taxpayer funds, and meritorious awarding of federal contracts, regardless of political association,” wrote the Senators . The Senators highlighted how the administration’s relationship with politically connected firms like ESI raise obvious concerns about the driving factors behind federal contract awards: “Since the January 2025 appointment of Justin Caporale, former CEO of ESI and ‘Project Manager’ of the January 6, 2021, rally, to serve as the Executive Producer for Major Events and Public Appearances in the Executive Office of the President, ESI has received at least $22.77 million in federal contracts. Furthermore, President Trump’s recent proposal to withhold federal grant funding from entities promoting undefined ‘anti-American values’ or failing to ‘demonstrably advance the President’s policy priorities’ exacerbates these concerns.” “Despite their inexperience in federal contracting, ESI cultivated a close relationship with President Trump’s campaign throughout the 2020 election, securing nearly $1.8 million in disbursements from Trump-affiliated political action committees.5 By the 2024 election cycle, that number ballooned to nearly $40 million,” the Senators continued . “ESI’s close relationships with senior White House officials have proved lucrative during the second Trump Administration…The Trump Administration has continued to invoke contracting loopholes to award ESI favorable, low-competition contracts related to the celebrations associated with the country’s 250th anniversary. The Navy used the same aforementioned loophole to award ESI an exclusive $2.1 million contract for “events” related to the 250th celebrations.” The Senators concluded: “Through this concerning pattern of behavior, the Trump Administration continues to send Americans a clear message: it is willing to reward loyalty with political and economic favoritism at taxpayers’ expense. The American people deserve an administration committed to transparency, responsible spending of taxpayer funds, and meritorious awarding of federal contracts, regardless of political association.” The Senators also requested answers from the Trump Administration to carry out the Senate’s oversight responsibilities and provide transparency to the American public. Read and download the Senators’ full letter to White House Chief of Staff Wiles. ###