Susan Collins’s Committee Bought Trucks the Army Didn’t Want. Then Campaign Donations Poured In.

The U.S. Army declared last year that it had an adequate number of a particular armored vehicle model, and any additional deliveries would be considered surplus. Despite this, Congress managed to sustain funding for the vehicle and the company that manufactures it found a way to distribute substantial campaign donations to crucial members of Congress.

As the appropriations bill passed this year, employees from AM General or its parent company gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to key appropriations committee members in both chambers, notably Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif. Collins is currently under investigation due to a ProPublica report suggesting an alleged pay-to-play scheme involving a major donor, a former defense contractor.

However, Collins' office has denied any involvement in such an arrangement and stated that they fully cooperated with the FBI. The donations by AM General's employees illustrate how Collins' campaign account has grown with support from defense contractors involved in government business. Before the Army threatened the vehicle's future, Collins did not receive frequent donations from the company's workers.

She had last received funds from AM General or its parent company's employees more than a decade ago. However, after the Army's decision to cancel further orders, employees and the company’s political action committee (PAC) donated over $58,000 to committees associated with Collins. Michael Beckel, director of money in politics reform at Issue One, commented that government contractors frequently attempt to exploit a flawed campaign finance system to their advantage.

The Army's order revival was backed by lawmakers from both parties, including the top Democrat on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn. Collins' office clarified that in the Senate, decisions on the program were made by defense subcommittee chairs Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., neither of whom received donations from AM General or its parent company during this election cycle.

AM General's CEO, John Chadbourne, stated in an email that the company's donations comply with Federal Election Commission (FEC) rules and regulations, and they focus on providing the best light tactical vehicle capabilities to the Joint Forces. Congress intervened to support the vehicle as AM General is renowned for producing the Humvee, the iconic military vehicle that was prevalent during the Iraq War.

In 2023, the Army chose the company to produce 20,000 units of a more heavily armored replacement called the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). However, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll canceled the order in May 2025, claiming that extra deliveries would result in an "excess" and part of a broader effort to eliminate waste and obsolete programs.

Despite the Army's decision, Congress quickly moved to save the program. The House Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee proposed spending millions on the vehicle in June 2025. By the time the final defense spending bill passed in February, the Army received $345 million for the procurement of a vehicle it claimed it did not need.

Collins' office accused the Army of providing "inadequate supporting analysis" and stated that they received some donations from AM General employees following the Army's announcement to cancel the project. In the weeks following Congress' approval of the appropriations bill on February 3, Collins and her House counterpart, Rep. Ken Calvert, received a surge of donations from AM General employees.