Cameron Miranda
President Trump's request to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter could be seen as a violation of campaign finance laws. Federal law states it is illegal to knowingly solicit, accept, or receive from a foreign national any contribution or donation. However, some sources argue that Trump's request does not break any laws.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Asking another country to investigate a potential political rival | No law broken |
| Refusing to spend the agency's foreign-aid funds | Likely conflict with the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 |
| Requesting an "in kind" contribution from a foreign national | Likely illegal under federal law |
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What You'll Learn
- Trump's request to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for an in kind contribution could be illegal
- Trump's request to investigate Joe Biden and his son could be an illegal request for a campaign contribution from a foreign citizen
- Trump's request to investigate a potential political rival could break a law
- Trump's refusal to spend the agency's foreign-aid funds could conflict with the Impoundment Control Act of 1974
- Trump's request to investigate the Bidens could be illegal
Trump's request to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for an in kind contribution could be illegal
In 2019, President Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden, a potential political rival, and his son Hunter. This request was seen by some as a solicitation of a campaign contribution from a foreign leader, which would be illegal under US campaign finance law. Campaign finance law defines a “contribution” as any “thing of value” given to affect an election.
Some legal experts have argued that Trump's request to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for an in-kind contribution could be illegal. They argue that Trump was soliciting a foreign government to interfere in a US election, which is a violation of campaign finance law. However, others have suggested that the Justice Department's opinion on the matter is that it does not break the law.
Trump's actions have also raised questions about his administration's attempts to shut down the US Agency for International Development (USAID). This could conflict with the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, a federal law that requires the president to get permission from Congress to withhold discretionary spending. Trump's legal team could argue that the Constitution gives the President the right to impound funds, but this would likely set up a Supreme Court battle.
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Trump's request to investigate Joe Biden and his son could be an illegal request for a campaign contribution from a foreign citizen
Trump's request to Ukrainian President Zelensky to work with his personal lawyer and use Ukraine's government resources to investigate Biden served no apparent purpose other than to benefit Trump's reelection efforts. This could be seen as an abuse of executive power and a violation of the law.
Legal experts have also noted that Trump's proposals are testing legal boundaries in other ways, such as his attempts to shut down USAID and his refusal to spend the agency's foreign-aid funds, which may conflict with the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. The fate of USAID is hanging in the balance after Trump signalled plans to strip away its independence and place it under State Department control.
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Trump's request to investigate a potential political rival could break a law
Trump's request to investigate a potential political rival could break the law in several ways. Firstly, it may constitute a violation of campaign finance law, as it could be seen as soliciting a campaign contribution from a foreign government. In the campaign finance world, a "contribution" is defined as any "thing of value" given to affect an election, and there is no doubt that damaging information about a candidate's political opponent would be valuable to that candidate.
Additionally, Trump's actions could conflict with the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, a federal law that requires the president to get permission from Congress to withhold discretionary spending. By refusing to spend the agency's foreign-aid funds, Trump may be setting up a Supreme Court battle over the President's authority to withhold funds appropriated by Congress.
Trump's legal team could argue that the Constitution gives the President the right to impound funds, but this would be a difficult argument to make, as it would require 60 Senators to support such a bill, which is unlikely to happen due to the potential for a filibuster.
Furthermore, Trump's proposals regarding the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) may also be breaking the law. By signalling plans to strip away USAID's independence and place it under State Department control, Trump and Musk are effectively shutting down the agency, which has long been a part of U.S. foreign policy, providing humanitarian aid and supporting democratic governance in volatile regions.
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Trump's refusal to spend the agency's foreign-aid funds could conflict with the Impoundment Control Act of 1974
In 2025, the US Supreme Court rejected Trump's request to keep billions in foreign aid from the State Department and the US Agency for International Development frozen. Trump had ordered a 90-day pause on all foreign aid on his first day back in office, which threw global humanitarian relief efforts into chaos.
Trump's administration appealed, calling the order to release the funds incredibly intrusive and profoundly erroneous.
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Trump's request to investigate the Bidens could be illegal
President Trump's request to investigate the Bidens could be illegal. Federal law states it is illegal to "knowingly solicit, accept, or receive from a foreign national any contribution or donation". Trump's request to President Volodymyr Zelensky was not for campaign cash, but what's referred to as an "in kind" contribution that would arguably be of more value – damaging information that could be weaponised against Biden, a potential 2020 rival. This could amount to an illegal request for a campaign contribution from a foreign citizen.
Trump's legal team would argue that the "Constitution gives the President a right to impound funds". They could also cite how Thomas Jefferson halted funding for gunboats to patrol the Mississippi River. However, refusing to spend the agency's foreign-aid funds would likely conflict with the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, a Nixon-era federal law that requires the president to get permission from Congress to withhold discretionary spending.
The Justice Department has opined in the context of the request, but it is unclear whether they believe Trump broke the law. The former New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani, spearheaded Trump's effort to obtain information on Biden and his son Hunter, who did work for a Ukrainian gas company while his father was vice president. House Democrats are pursuing an impeachment inquiry into efforts by Trump and Giuliani.
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Frequently asked questions
No, but he could be in conflict with the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, a Nixon-era federal law that requires the president to get permission from Congress to withhold discretionary spending.
No, but it could be seen as soliciting an "in-kind" contribution that would be of more value than campaign cash.
Damaging information that could be weaponized against a political rival.
Federal law states it is illegal to “knowingly solicit, accept, or receive from a foreign national any contribution or donation”.
House Democrats could pursue an impeachment inquiry.
