Seventeen White House staffers reported holding between $820,036 and $2,250,000 in Big Oil stocks, according to a new analysis of personal financial disclosures by CREW. Each staffer owns at least a thousand dollars and some own up to $750,000 in BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Marathon Petroleum, Phillips 66, Shell, TotalEnergies or Valero Energy stocks.

The oil and gas industry spent an estimated $75 million supporting President Trump’s reelection and the Republican National Committee. That total may also be significantly higher—and was bolstered by over $19 million in donations to Trump’s inaugural fund. The industry was recently granted a massive victory in the form of the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” which it reportedly considers “a home run.” 

Director of the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff Alina Bulazel is the top holder of Big Oil stocks in the White House, with up to $750,000 in Chevron. Last month, she received a certificate of divestiture from the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), indicating that she is taking steps to sell this holding. However, a review of transaction reports available through OGE does not yet show any record of the divestiture occurring. Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy Joel Zinberg holds the most diversified Big Oil portfolio, with stocks in six of the corporations, totalling up to $680,000 in stocks. Special assistant to the President for Political Affairs Ashley Walukevich is third with up to $250,000 in Exxon.

Overall, White House aides have the most money in Chevron, with up to $845,000 in stock total. Exxon is the most common investment and second highest investment, with 11 staffers holding up to $505,000 in the company’s stock. Marathon appears to be another favorite, with staffers holding up to $300,000.

The 17 aides invested in Big Oil companies work across the White House from communications staffers like Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Presidential Speechwriter Samuel Mangold-Lenett to policy staffers like Special Assistants to the President for Political Affairs Ashley Walukevich and Christopher Escobedo and Senior Policy Advisor to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Kara Frederick. Other notable holders include economic policy staffers, deputy counsels to the president and a legislative staffer.

All of the employees included in the analysis were still employed at the White House as of July 1, 2025. The Office of Government Ethics has not certified all of the disclosures yet, so the information in some could change and it is possible that more of the officials are in the process of divesting.

Read More in Investigations