The American defense industry finances US Congressional candidates.
According to a new report from the news site Notus, the defense sector has donated nearly 5 million dollars to members of Congress through political action committees (PACs) and individual donations since the beginning of the year.
Based on an analysis of Federal Election Commission (FEC) documents conducted by Notus, executives and Political Action Committees (PACs) in the sector have contributed millions of dollars to federal election campaigns in the first quarter of 2026, focusing donations mainly on lawmakers holding strategic positions on committees overseeing the Pentagon’s budget and programs.
Donations from the defense industry – which include both traditional companies like Lockheed Martin, RTX (formerly Raytheon), and Northrop Grumman, as well as newer firms like Anduril – represent only a small percentage of the funds directed to Congress, according to OpenSecrets. Nevertheless, the sector exerts strong influence on politics through these contributions and lobbying activities, specifies Defense News.
All the details.
NEARLY 5 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE DEFENSE SECTOR IN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Notus’ analysis reveals that the defense industry spent millions of dollars in political contributions between January 1 and March 31, 2026. During this period, PACs linked to eleven companies in the sector, including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Leidos, RTX, and Anduril, contributed about 4.7 million dollars to federal campaigns and party committees.
The donations come as Congress is called to review the Pentagon’s budget request for 2027, amounting to 1.5 trillion dollars, an increase of nearly 500 billion compared to previous levels, the publication emphasizes.
Both Republicans and Democrats benefit from these donations and, in particular, much of these funds are directed to members of Congress who make decisions regarding arms acquisition, such as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), specifies Defense News.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE AMONG THE BENEFICIARIES
Among the main beneficiaries of the funding is Republican Representative Ken Calvert, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee responsible for drafting the Department of Defense budget.
According to FEC records, Calvert’s campaign committee received over 200,000 dollars in the first three months of 2026 from corporate PACs and defense sector executives such as RTX, BAE Systems, Leidos, and others.
On March 2 and 3, just days after the start of the war with Iran, Calvert received two donations of 1,000 dollars each from AM General executives: CEO Darrell Duckworth and CFO Ryan DuRussel. Lockheed Martin and RTX PACs donated 5,000 dollars each on March 4 and 9, respectively.
“Representative Calvert appreciates the support he receives from a wide range of Americans. His votes and actions are always based on what he believes is in the best interest of his constituents and all Americans,” said Jason Gagnon, Calvert’s senior congressional advisor, in a statement to Notus.
LOCKHEED MARTIN’S CONTRIBUTION
Among the most active companies on the political contributions front is Lockheed Martin, whose PAC distributed about 1.2 million dollars to political committees in the first quarter of 2026.
“Our employee PAC program continues to adhere to established principles of bipartisan political engagement in support of our business interests,” said a spokesperson for the American defense giant to Notus.
AND LEIDOS’
Leidos, one of the main IT service providers for the US government, has also intensified its political support activities. The company’s PAC spent about 370,000 dollars in political contributions in the last quarter.
“Our PAC supports candidates on a bipartisan basis, including members of Congress who play a key role in shaping national security and defense policy. Our contributions reflect the importance of engaging with policymakers who help sustain a strong, innovative, and resilient defense industrial base,” said a Leidos spokesperson to Notus.
The other companies contacted by Notus did not respond to requests for comment.
FUNDING TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE
The leadership of the House Armed Services Committee has also received significant contributions from the sector.
Republican Representative Mike Rogers, chairman of the Committee and a central figure in drafting the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), received 68,000 dollars in the quarter through his campaign, including 7,000 dollars from Anduril co-founder Palmer Luckey.
NOT ONLY REPUBLICANS, DONATIONS ALSO TO DEMS
But the funding is not limited to Republicans. Democratic Representative Adam Smith, the party’s leading figure on the House Armed Services Committee, has also received substantial funding from the defense sector.
As Defense News specifies, Smith has broad jurisdiction over defense matters, including “acquisition and industrial base policy [and] technology transfer and export controls,” according to the committee’s website.
According to Notus, Smith has received about 130,000 dollars through PACs and military industry executives. Donations include 7,000 dollars from Brian Schimpf, co-founder and CEO of Anduril, 1,000 dollars from Peter Holland, vice president of state and local government relations at RTX, and an additional contribution from a vice president of strategy at BAE Systems.
