Senator Merkley Calls for Investigation into Potential Insider Trading by Venture Global Founders Amid Trump Administration Meeting
Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) has called for an investigation into potential insider trading by Venture Global founders Robert Pender and Michael Sabel following reports on significant share purchases. Both Pender and Sabel bought more than one million Venture Global shares each, valued at almost $12 million, just days after attending a March meeting with senior Trump administration officials, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright. Shortly after this meeting, the company was granted an export license for expansion in Europe.
Venture Global stated that their stock acquisitions were made in compliance with SEC rules and all laws related to government interactions. The company had donated approximately $1 million to Trump's 2024 inauguration, and Michael Sabel attended a Mar-a-Lago event in April 2024 where Trump reportedly requested $1 billion from fossil-fuel donors for favorable legislation. Venture Global was among the top donors to the inauguration, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
OpenSecrets highlighted that individuals connected to Venture Global spent $860,000 on lobbying in 2024 and about $810,000 so far in 2025, surpassing by over twelve times the 2019 high of $70,000. Notably, on his first day back as President, Trump issued an executive order rolling back fossil-fuel regulations, including LNG export licenses, withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement, and boycotted UN climate talks.
Senator Merkley pointed to the timing of the trades as a cause for concern, urging an inquiry into possible conflicts of interest and insider trading involving fossil-fuel donors close to the administration. The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied any conflicts of interest engaged in by the president. Venture Global has been contacted for further comment.
