CEO Adam Swart says his firm refused a $20 million offer to recruit protesters for nationwide anti-Trump demonstrations.

Advocacy Group CEO Turns Down Lucrative Protest Offer

Adam Swart, CEO and founder of the California-based firm Crowds on Demand, disclosed that his company rejected an offer reportedly worth around $20 million to help organize and recruit for nationwide protests opposing President Donald Trump. Swart detailed the proposal during an interview, explaining that interests aligned with the July 17th movement approached his firm to mobilize demonstrators for large-scale rallies planned across the United States.

The protests, scheduled for Thursday, are spearheaded by Good Trouble Lives On, a group that describes itself as dedicated to peaceful and nonviolent social change. The events, which mark the fifth anniversary of civil rights leader John Lewis’s death, aim to challenge what organizers call “the most brazen rollback of civil rights in generations.”

Swart explained that, while the value of the contract would have been significant, he decided to reject the offer not out of virtue but because he believes such demonstrations would be ineffective. “It’s not to say I would have made $20 million personally, but the value of the contract would have been worth around that amount nationwide to organize huge demonstrations around the country,” he said. “But personally, I just don’t think it’s effective. So it’s not, I’m not trying to call myself virtuous for rejecting it. What I’m saying is, I’m saying 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.”

White House Responds to Reports of Paid Protests

Harrison Fields, special assistant to the President and principal deputy press secretary, responded to the news by characterizing paid protest recruitment as a sign of weakness among opponents. “President Trump’s America is so successful that blue-haired basement dwellers are paid to stage fake protests against the administration’s remarkable achievements,” Fields said in a statement. He criticized paid agitators for dividing the nation, adding, “Nothing screams a party in disarray more than one that clearly lacks organic support and is forced to astroturf everything.”

The planned protests have drawn additional scrutiny amid recent headlines about violent unrest in Los Angeles and nationwide demonstrations branded as “No Kings Day.” Incidents have included property damage, the burning of the American flag, and assaults on law enforcement officers. While Good Trouble Lives On insists on peaceful activism, the larger climate of protest in the U.S. remains contentious.

Swart’s decision to turn down the multi-million dollar proposal underscores the ongoing debate about the authenticity and effectiveness of organized protest movements. As Thursday’s rallies approach, attention will remain focused on whether demonstrations will materialize organically or if the episode will reinforce criticism of astroturfing and paid activism in American politics.