Emails Show Anduril's Palmer Luckey as Top GOP Fundraiser

Palmer Luckey, the 33-year-old co-founder of the weapons manufacturer Anduril Industries, has built a Republican fundraising operation that rivals his influence in military contracting, according to dozens of emails obtained by the Guardian.

One invitation, emailed to wealthy Republicans on the West Coast in July, advertised a fundraiser called "Keep the Senate," described as a "private roundtable and dinner with the National Republican Senatorial Committee." Donors could pledge $50,000 for seats at the head table and mingle with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Mike Rogers, who is running for Senate in Michigan with President Trump's endorsement. Luckey was listed as one of the organizers.

The emails, which the Guardian described as a partial list of invitations, show Luckey has held fundraisers over the last seven years for at least 20 Republican politicians, from Trump down to a candidate for California attorney general.

A longtime GOP donor and activist, who spoke on condition of anonymity to preserve political relationships, called Luckey the "godfather of Republican fundraising on the west coast." He added: "If you're raising campaign money in California, you have to go to Palmer Luckey. Luckey is the top tier."

OpenSecrets, which tracks campaign money, says Federal Election Commission records show Luckey has given $5.9 million to Republicans since 2017 — far less than donors such as Miriam Adelson. His value lies in bundling, said Brendan Glavin of OpenSecrets: "You're bringing in not just your money. You're bringing other people's money."

Anduril, founded nine years ago, has become a major contractor for the Trump administration. In March the Army awarded the company a $20 billion sole-source contract for drones, though it is not clear which of its systems are operational or have been used in combat. In May, Anduril said it would join a team of companies working on the "Golden Dome" space-based missile interceptor program, with cost estimates ranging from $185 billion to $1.2 trillion.

Luckey declined an interview, writing, "I am not going to help you guys make money," and did not answer a list of questions.

Anduril's chief executive, Brian Schimpf, has donated $1.16 million, largely to Democratic causes, over the same period. An Anduril official said: "It shouldn't surprise anyone that two executives at the same company have different political views."