Sen. Merkley Calls for Probe Into Insider Trading Allegations Involving Trump Donors Linked to Venture Global LNG
Senator Jeff Merkley has called for an investigation into possible insider trading by Robert Pender and Michael Sabel, founders and major Trump donors involved with Venture Global LNG, a company based in Virginia. Pender and Sabel, who serve as co-chairs of the company, purchased over 1 million shares each, valued at nearly $12 million apiece, following a meeting in March with senior Trump officials including Energy Secretary Chris Wright. Shortly after the meeting, Wright approved an export license critical to Venture Global's expansion in Europe.
Venture Global maintains that these stock transactions fully complied with SEC regulations and all laws related to government interactions. The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that President Trump has never engaged in conflicts of interest. Notably, Venture Global was among the largest donors to Trump's inauguration, contributing around $1 million, according to the Wall Street Journal as cited by The Guardian.
Data from OpenSecrets reveal that individuals linked to Venture Global spent approximately $860,000 on lobbying in 2024 and about $810,000 in 2025 so far, a significant increase from a 2019 peak lobbying expenditure of $70,000. Senator Merkley argues that the timing of the stock purchases raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest and insider trading.
Contextually, in 2024, at a Mar-a-Lago event, Michael Sabel reportedly urged for roughly $1 billion in fossil-fuel donations in exchange for favorable legislation. Following this, Trump issued executive actions that rolled back various climate policies. The Guardian also notes that 2025 is expected to be one of the hottest years on record with significant climate-related disasters, highlighting the broader debate on fossil-fuel policies.
