âť“WHAT HAPPENED: A company that provides large crowds for PR events was offered $20 million to organize anti-Trump protests.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Adam Swart, CEO of Crowds On Demand, and unnamed “interests aligned with the organizers” of protests planned for Thursday.
đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The offer was made ahead of nationwide protests scheduled for July 17, 2025.
đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “Interests aligned with the organizers of the July 17 movement offered us $20 million to recruit protesters,” said Swart.
🎯IMPACT: The revelation raises questions about the funding and authenticity of protests, as well as the use of paid agitators.
Adam Swart, CEO of the company Crowds On Demand, revealed that his firm was offered $20 million to bolster anti-Trump protests for nationwide demonstrations on July 17. He stated that the offer came from “interests aligned with the organizers” of the so-called July 17 movement but declined to disclose who was financially backing the proposal.
Swart explained that his company turned down the offer due to the fact that similar protests in the past have failed, turned violent, or reflected poorly on those involved. “Interests aligned with the organizers of the July 17 movement offered us $20 million to recruit protesters,” he told Newsmax.
“[P]ersonally, I just don’t think it’s effective. So, I’m not trying to call myself virtuous for rejecting [the offer]; what I’m saying is… I’m rejecting it not because I don’t want to take the business, but because, frankly, this is going to be ineffective; it’s going to make us all look bad,” Swart explained.
The protests, named “Good Trouble Lives On,” are being organized in memory of the late Democrat Congressman John Lewis and purportedly aim to address what organizers call “attacks” on civil and human rights by the Trump administration. A graphic on the event’s website alleges, “We are facing the most brazen rollback of civil rights in generations,” citing issues like voting rights—likely in reference to Trump’s efforts to make elections more secure against non-citizen voting and fraud.
The revelation about the $20 million offer has increased skepticism about the authenticity of many anti-Trump protests, with one social media user demanding, “Who is providing the $20,000,000? Follow the money!”
Swart refused to say who offered the $20 million, saying that transparency would be bad for business.
This is not the first time concerns have been raised about the funding of anti-administration demonstrations. Earlier protests, some of which turned violent, have appeared to be well-organized and financially supported. In particular, Crowds on Demand previously revealed it received “numerous high-budget requests” to astroturf pro-illegal immigrant demonstrations in Los Angeles that devolved into riots, but declined the offers.
NEW: “Crowds on Demand” CEO Adam Swart says he was offered $20,000,000 to recruit protesters for anti-Trump protests during an interview with @BrianEntin.
Swart was discussing the upcoming anti-Trump protests on July 17 when he made the comment.
“Interests aligned with the… pic.twitter.com/f8FTp0pEbm
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 15, 2025
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