Scathing Watchdog Report Accuses Major Railroad Union of Betraying Trump-Supporting Members with Heavy Democratic Spending
A prominent railroad union is under fresh scrutiny following a watchdog report that claims its leadership is out of step with many rank-and-file members who backed President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
The American Accountability Foundation (AAF) released a report targeting the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), one of the oldest and largest railroad labor unions in the United States. The report accuses union leaders of promoting Democratic policies and candidates despite polling and election data showing strong support for Trump among blue-collar railroad workers.
According to the AAF, BLET endorsed the Harris-Walz ticket in 2024 and maintained close ties with prominent Democrats, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Sen. Sherrod Brown. The report highlights that while the union has occasionally praised certain Republican efforts — such as applauding Vice President JD Vance and the reintroduction of the bipartisan Railway Safety Act — it frequently criticized Trump-era policies on transportation, immigration, and regulatory matters.
A review of the union’s social media activity showed 14 tweets in the lead-up to the 2024 election that attacked Trump administration actions while portraying Biden administration railroad policies more favorably. The report describes this messaging as an attempt to steer members toward Democratic candidates.
Financially, the union spent over $26 million on political activities in recent cycles, with the vast majority directed toward Democrats. The AAF noted that 99% of party committee donations went to Democrats. In the 2024 cycle, BLET made 24 donations totaling $53,400 to Democratic committees and only $2,000 to Republican ones.
The report also raises concerns about how member dues are spent, alleging millions went toward hotels, conferences, casinos, and resorts. It claims over $5 million was spent on hotels and conferences, with more than $2 million alone on casinos and resorts. Top union officials, including the president and vice president, each earn over $300,000 annually, according to the findings.
This disconnect reflects a broader trend in American labor politics. While many traditional blue-collar unions have historically leaned Democratic, recent polling — including from the Teamsters — showed significant Trump support among working-class voters without college degrees. Exit polls from 2024 indicated these voters favored Trump 56% to 42% over Harris.
AAF President Tom Jones stated that railroad workers supported Trump for his focus on secure borders and putting American workers first, but union leadership appears aligned with left-leaning priorities. “They’ve turned a blue-collar brotherhood into a woke political machine,” Jones said.
In response to the report, a BLET spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the union does not comment on “false press releases by dark money groups who have no accountability to the truth.”
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between some union leadership and their membership amid shifting political loyalties among working-class Americans. As the Trump administration advances its agenda on infrastructure, deregulation, and trade, questions about union alignment with rank-and-file views are likely to persist across multiple labor organizations.
Railroad workers play a critical role in America’s supply chain, moving goods that power the economy. Any perceived gap between leadership priorities and member concerns could influence future contract negotiations, political endorsements, and policy debates on rail safety and workforce issues.
The full AAF report has sparked discussion on social media and among conservative outlets about transparency in union political spending and leadership accountability.
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