Foreign-national inaugural donation law

SEC filings identify Joesley and Wesley Batista as the ultimate controlling shareholders of JBS and report JBS’s approximately 82% ownership of Pilgrim’s Pride. Pilgrim’s Pride donated $5 million to the Trump–Vance Inaugural Committee on January 2, 2025. Senator Elizabeth Warren’s May 19, 2025 letter asked JBS USA and Pilgrim’s Pride executives who chose the donation, whether their boards approved it, and what communications occurred with Trump’s transition team.^2–5

A foreign national shall not, directly or indirectly, make a donation to an inaugural committee, as defined in 11 CFR 104.21(a)(1). No person shall knowingly accept from a foreign national any donation to an inaugural committee.

11 CFR 110.20(j) · In force for the January 2, 2025 donation; paragraph (j) adopted in 2004¹

The Trump–Vance Inaugural Committee’s filing lists Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation as the donor of $5 million received January 2, 2025, and Donald Trump and J.D. Vance as honorees. JBS holds approximately 82% of Pilgrim’s Pride; Joesley and Wesley Batista are JBS’s ultimate controlling shareholders.^2–5

A foreign national shall not, directly or indirectly, make a donation to an inaugural committee, as defined in 11 CFR 104.21(a)(1). No person shall knowingly accept from a foreign national any donation to an inaugural committee.

11 CFR 110.20(j) · In force for the January 2, 2025 donation; paragraph (j) adopted in 2004¹