The Sycuan Band’s half-million-dollar contribution places the tribe among the most generous individual donors nationwide, in an inauguration cycle that saw hundreds of corporations, investors, and organizations contribute seven-figure sums to secure access and prestige. While many top donors had not contributed to Trump's 2024 re-election campaign, they participated in the inauguration effort, reportedly drawn by perks like VIP credentials, private receptions, and proximity to power.
The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, whose reservation lies east of El Cajon, has long been one of San Diego County's most economically influential tribes. Through a network of businesses and development corporations, the tribe has diversified well beyond gaming. Its primary enterprise, the Sycuan Casino Resort, has grown into a full-scale hospitality and entertainment complex. In 2023, Sycuan also acquired a stake in the new Major League Soccer franchise San Diego FC, making it one of the few tribal nations with ownership in a professional sports team. The tribe also owns the US Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego, a historic property that integrates Kumeyaay culture into its design and operations. Financially, Sycuan manages investment arms like Sycuan Tribal Development Corporation and Sycuan Capital Management, the latter of which became the first SEC-registered tribal investment advisor in the nation.
Meanwhile, the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, based in Alpine, contributed $50,000 to Trump’s 2025 inauguration. The Viejas Band also maintains a broad business portfolio that includes the Viejas Casino & Resort, the adjacent Viejas Outlets shopping center, and the Ma-Tar-Awa RV Park in the Cuyamaca Mountains. In the financial sector, Viejas founded Borrego Springs Bank, the first Native American-owned bank in California, which operates branches in La Mesa, Alpine, and Borrego Springs. The tribe also once owned a controlling interest in the Broadcast Company of the Americas, which ran The Mighty 1090 AM, a sports talk radio station. In addition, Viejas has joined forces with other tribal nations to form ventures such as Four Fires, LLC and Three Fires, LLC, which focus on real estate and hospitality investments across the country.
While it’s not unusual for sovereign tribal nations to contribute to presidential inaugurations, the scale of the 2025 fundraising effort - which more than quadrupled the amount raised for President Biden’s 2021 event - has renewed scrutiny of how and why such contributions are made. Unlike campaign contributions, inaugural donations are largely unregulated. Inaugural committees are not bound by contribution caps and can accept unlimited sums from corporations and individuals, provided they are not foreign nationals. Trump's 2025 inaugural committee chose not to impose any voluntary limits or restrictions, resulting in a torrent of large checks from industries including cryptocurrency, defense, pharmaceuticals, fossil fuels, and tribal governments.
San Diego was also represented on the corporate side of the donor ledger. Qualcomm Incorporated, one of the region's largest and most influential tech firms, gave $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund. The semiconductor and telecommunications giant, which has frequently dealt with U.S. trade policy and antitrust regulators, joins a long list of tech companies - including Amazon, Google, Apple, and OpenAI - that contributed large sums. Sempra, the Fortune 500 energy infrastructure company headquartered in downtown San Diego, also gave $100,000.
Notably, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, a sovereign tribe based in Northern California, donated $1 million - making it the single largest tribal contributor to the fund. Known for its Cache Creek Casino Resort and progressive environmental and cultural initiatives, the tribe has been active in political and regulatory engagement at the state and national level.
Tribal giving accounted for over $2.3 million in total, placing Indian nations among the top 20 donor sectors. The Sycuan and Viejas donations were among the largest from California-based tribes. While tribal leaders have not publicly commented on their motivations, observers suggest such donations often serve as a means of ensuring political access and safeguarding economic interests, particularly in light of shifting federal regulatory policies affecting land use, gaming, taxation, and environmental enforcement.
The contributions also come at a time when the Trump administration has faced criticism for cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for tribal nations and Indigenous-led environmental initiatives. Within the first 100 days of his second term, Trump reversed several protections for Native lands, fast-tracked energy infrastructure projects without tribal consultation, and froze grants previously awarded to Indigenous communities, including programs aimed at clean energy and water safety.
Still, many tribes continue to navigate relationships with federal administrations pragmatically, weighing policy impact against long-term sovereignty and economic priorities. For tribes like Sycuan and Viejas, whose enterprises fund essential services and employment for their members and the broader community, political engagement - even in the form of large-scale contributions - can be a strategic decision to secure a seat at the table in national affairs.
The massive fundraising totals have raised broader questions about transparency and influence. In addition to tribal nations and tech firms, the donor list includes major fossil fuel interests like Chevron, embattled crypto companies such as Ripple Labs and Coinbase, and numerous financial institutions including JPMorgan Chase and FedEx. Many of these companies either faced enforcement actions or regulatory scrutiny under the previous administration and appear to be benefiting from a more favorable climate under Trump.
For San Diego’s Sycuan and Viejas tribes, and for corporations like Qualcomm and Sempra, these donations mark a strategic investment in federal visibility at a time when national policies on everything from energy infrastructure to tribal sovereignty are in flux. The full impact of their contributions may not be immediately clear, but they reflect a growing trend among regional powers to play a role on the national political stage.
The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, whose reservation lies east of El Cajon, has long been one of San Diego County's most economically influential tribes. Through a network of businesses and development corporations, the tribe has diversified well beyond gaming. Its primary enterprise, the Sycuan Casino Resort, has grown into a full-scale hospitality and entertainment complex. In 2023, Sycuan also acquired a stake in the new Major League Soccer franchise San Diego FC, making it one of the few tribal nations with ownership in a professional sports team. The tribe also owns the US Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego, a historic property that integrates Kumeyaay culture into its design and operations. Financially, Sycuan manages investment arms like Sycuan Tribal Development Corporation and Sycuan Capital Management, the latter of which became the first SEC-registered tribal investment advisor in the nation.
Meanwhile, the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, based in Alpine, contributed $50,000 to Trump’s 2025 inauguration. The Viejas Band also maintains a broad business portfolio that includes the Viejas Casino & Resort, the adjacent Viejas Outlets shopping center, and the Ma-Tar-Awa RV Park in the Cuyamaca Mountains. In the financial sector, Viejas founded Borrego Springs Bank, the first Native American-owned bank in California, which operates branches in La Mesa, Alpine, and Borrego Springs. The tribe also once owned a controlling interest in the Broadcast Company of the Americas, which ran The Mighty 1090 AM, a sports talk radio station. In addition, Viejas has joined forces with other tribal nations to form ventures such as Four Fires, LLC and Three Fires, LLC, which focus on real estate and hospitality investments across the country.
While it’s not unusual for sovereign tribal nations to contribute to presidential inaugurations, the scale of the 2025 fundraising effort - which more than quadrupled the amount raised for President Biden’s 2021 event - has renewed scrutiny of how and why such contributions are made. Unlike campaign contributions, inaugural donations are largely unregulated. Inaugural committees are not bound by contribution caps and can accept unlimited sums from corporations and individuals, provided they are not foreign nationals. Trump's 2025 inaugural committee chose not to impose any voluntary limits or restrictions, resulting in a torrent of large checks from industries including cryptocurrency, defense, pharmaceuticals, fossil fuels, and tribal governments.
San Diego was also represented on the corporate side of the donor ledger. Qualcomm Incorporated, one of the region's largest and most influential tech firms, gave $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund. The semiconductor and telecommunications giant, which has frequently dealt with U.S. trade policy and antitrust regulators, joins a long list of tech companies - including Amazon, Google, Apple, and OpenAI - that contributed large sums. Sempra, the Fortune 500 energy infrastructure company headquartered in downtown San Diego, also gave $100,000.
Notably, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, a sovereign tribe based in Northern California, donated $1 million - making it the single largest tribal contributor to the fund. Known for its Cache Creek Casino Resort and progressive environmental and cultural initiatives, the tribe has been active in political and regulatory engagement at the state and national level.
Tribal giving accounted for over $2.3 million in total, placing Indian nations among the top 20 donor sectors. The Sycuan and Viejas donations were among the largest from California-based tribes. While tribal leaders have not publicly commented on their motivations, observers suggest such donations often serve as a means of ensuring political access and safeguarding economic interests, particularly in light of shifting federal regulatory policies affecting land use, gaming, taxation, and environmental enforcement.
The contributions also come at a time when the Trump administration has faced criticism for cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for tribal nations and Indigenous-led environmental initiatives. Within the first 100 days of his second term, Trump reversed several protections for Native lands, fast-tracked energy infrastructure projects without tribal consultation, and froze grants previously awarded to Indigenous communities, including programs aimed at clean energy and water safety.
Still, many tribes continue to navigate relationships with federal administrations pragmatically, weighing policy impact against long-term sovereignty and economic priorities. For tribes like Sycuan and Viejas, whose enterprises fund essential services and employment for their members and the broader community, political engagement - even in the form of large-scale contributions - can be a strategic decision to secure a seat at the table in national affairs.
The massive fundraising totals have raised broader questions about transparency and influence. In addition to tribal nations and tech firms, the donor list includes major fossil fuel interests like Chevron, embattled crypto companies such as Ripple Labs and Coinbase, and numerous financial institutions including JPMorgan Chase and FedEx. Many of these companies either faced enforcement actions or regulatory scrutiny under the previous administration and appear to be benefiting from a more favorable climate under Trump.
For San Diego’s Sycuan and Viejas tribes, and for corporations like Qualcomm and Sempra, these donations mark a strategic investment in federal visibility at a time when national policies on everything from energy infrastructure to tribal sovereignty are in flux. The full impact of their contributions may not be immediately clear, but they reflect a growing trend among regional powers to play a role on the national political stage.
Originally published on July 13, 2025.
