From his desk at the White House in December, President Trump announced a campaign to organize a series of Fourth of July celebrations for America’s 250th birthday, saying it would be “the most spectacular birthday party the world has ever seen.”
On the other side of the world, embassies and consulates are echoing the president’s message and pitching executives to hand over large donations for splashy events.
In Hong Kong, companies have received “America 250” forms from the U.S. consulate soliciting donations. In Japan, companies have heeded the call and committed to tens of millions of dollars in contributions. In Singapore, the American ambassador pressed for donations before a room full of executives at a dinner at one of the city-state’s most expensive hotels.
The solicitations from the diplomatic outposts come as the president’s allies are aggressively raising money for a host of events and projects around the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
“I think there is a competitive environment between some of the ambassadors right now of who can raise the most,” said Ted Osius, a former longtime diplomat who served as United States ambassador to Vietnam from 2014 to 2017.
On Feb. 5, over a five-course meal at the Capella Singapore, Anjani Sinha, the U.S. ambassador, offered to sing and dance, telling executives, “I need your money,” according to an audio recording obtained by The New York Times. He said the funds would be for a series of celebratory events including an American rodeo and a Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting.
The dinner was hosted by Mr. Sinha and promoted to attendees as an opportunity for him to “share his vision and welcome your partnership in” events to mark the 250th anniversary, according to a copy of the invitation that was reviewed by The Times. Dozens of executives from American companies, including Citibank, Coinbase, Harley-Davidson and 3M, attended. The Capella Singapore hotel was where Mr. Trump and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, held a summit in 2018. Citibank declined to comment, while Coinbase, Harley-Davidson and 3M did not respond to requests for comment.
Mr. Sinha told the audience that another U.S. embassy in the region had already raised $37 million and pressed the room to raise more, according to the recording of his remarks. He did not name the country, nor did he say how much his embassy had raised. But one person familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity discussing nonpublic information, said that the embassy in Japan had raised about $35 million.
The ambassador tried to appeal to the competitive instincts of the local executives in the room. “Singapore is a better country than that,” he said, according to the recording. He added, “There are better people here making more money.”
Mr. Sinha, who made a $1 million donation to a Trump-backed super PAC last year, was among several future ambassadors who contributed to Mr. Trump’s favored groups and causes during his presidency.
Details about the dinner were also confirmed by two people who were in attendance but requested anonymity because Mr. Sinha told attendees not to take pictures or make recordings of the private event.
Last month, the U.S. embassy in Japan announced that, in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, it would stage more than 70 “cultural, educational, and sporting programs and events,” including snow and ice sculptures during a Snow Festival on the northern island of Hokkaido.
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The mission’s publicly announced donor list features more than 20 American and Japanese corporate sponsors, led by Toyota Motor and SoftBank Group, both of which have worked to build close ties to the Trump administration. Some companies had given around $1 million or more in donations, according to the person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity to discuss nonpublic information.
The announcement bore the logo of a nonprofit group, America250, which was created in 2016 and is raising private money to commemorate the anniversary of the nation’s independence.
America250 did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Earlier, in a letter sent to prospective donors, George Glass, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, wrote that he was seeking “significant financial support for Mission Japan’s America 250 celebrations,” according to a copy of the correspondence viewed by The Times. “President Trump has tasked me with ensuring this celebration in Japan is the greatest celebration in the world outside of the United States,” Mr. Glass wrote.
There is a long history of U.S. embassies raising private funds to supplement their July Fourth celebrations, though donations have typically been relatively modest. The fund-raising heading into the 250th anniversary of the country’s independence has been particularly aggressive.
Asked for comment, the U.S. embassies in Singapore and Japan, as well as the Hong Kong and Macau consulate pointed to the State Department. In a statement, a senior State Department official said the department had set policies that “cover fund-raising and accepting donations” for celebrating the anniversary. The donations, the official said, would be used for multiple events and programs.
During the Feb. 5 dinner in Singapore, photos of the event seen by The Times show, several screens around the room displayed the logo for Freedom 250, a group started by Mr. Trump’s allies to carry out celebrations and projects that, in some cases, have less obvious connections to the nation’s founding and instead reflect Mr. Trump’s political agenda and his penchant for spectacle, personal branding and legacy. They include the construction of an arch overlooking Washington, an IndyCar race through the nation’s capital, a national prayer event and an Ultimate Fighting Championship match on the White House lawn to coincide with the president’s 80th birthday.
Donors who give $1 million or more to Freedom 250 are being offered access to the president and other perks. And because the group is housed inside a nonprofit group, donations are tax deductible for U.S. companies and individuals.
Danielle Alvarez, a spokeswoman for Freedom 250, said that the group was not involved in the Singapore dinner, and that funds raised in connection with it will not be conveyed to Freedom 250. The group, she said, is not soliciting or accepting foreign funding.
She said the Freedom 250 name and logo had been embraced across the administration, and suggested that embassies might be using it as shorthand for their own semiquincentennial initiatives that are not directly related to the group.
The Singapore dinner was sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, Philip Morris and the Milken Institute, according to Hsien-Hsien Lei, chief executive of the chamber. The Milken Institute is a nonprofit think tank founded by the financier Michael Milken, who went to prison in 1991 for securities law and other violations and was pardoned by Mr. Trump.
Michelle Stevenson, a spokeswoman for the Milken Institute, said that it paid $5,000 directly to the Capella Singapore to sponsor the dinner, but that the organization was not planning to donate to Freedom 250 or America 250. Philip Morris did not respond to a request for comment.
After the dinner in Singapore, the embassy followed up with a brief document, bearing the Freedom 250 logo and reviewed by The Times, thanking attendees for their potential contributions that would fund a series of “marquee events designed to resonate with the Singaporean public.” Those events included a rodeo, a gift to the Singapore zoo and an American musical act. It said the embassy hoped to hear back about financial support by March 5.
Ms. Lei, the head of the chamber in Singapore, said in a statement, “The American business community is proud to be a part of the Fourth of July celebrations in Singapore because it is a wonderful way to show Singapore and Singaporeans the best of America.” She added that the celebrations coincided with the commemoration of 60 years of U.S.-Singapore diplomatic relations.
The embassies’ aggressive push has been met with shock from some executives, who have been on the receiving end of the solicitations, and spoke on background about their reactions. Experts said the scope of the campaign is unusual.
“I wonder if that is helpful for the image of the United States, given that it feels like you may be buying access,” said Mr. Osius, the former diplomat. “We certainly avoided in the past any hint that we might be treating people differently based on how much money they contributed.”
Mr. Osius said during his tenure as the top envoy in Vietnam, he had been involved in raising no more than tens of thousands of dollars for July Fourth events.
Blair Hall, a retired State Department official who served in Japan, India and Singapore over a decades-long career, said the magnitude of the fund-raising was well out of step with his experience in government. He said the most he had raised for July Fourth events was around $200,000.
“This seems aberrant given the American emphasis, in the past, has been on trying to have ethical business practices and the perception that the government is not open for sale or influence. This does erode that perception.”
Alexandra Stevenson is the Shanghai bureau chief for The Times, reporting on China’s economy and society.
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