Anheuser-Busch

Quick Take

Political giving connected to Anheuser-Busch swung hard in the 2024 election cycle. Aggregated organizational giving tracked by OpenSecrets, which combines the corporate PAC with donations from employees, owners, and their immediate families, and with soft money to parties, sent 57 percent of its party attributed dollars to Democrats in the 2020 cycle and 55 percent in 2022, then flipped to 63 percent Republican in 2024, the two year period that followed the Bud Light boycott.[5] The company reported $5,080,000 in federal lobbying for calendar year 2024 and about $5.39 million for 2025.[6][7] After the company declined to publicly defend the Mulvaney campaign, the Human Rights Campaign suspended the perfect 100 score Anheuser-Busch had held on its Corporate Equality Index.[8] The rebuild that followed included a nine figure UFC sponsorship, and in February 2024 Donald Trump posted that Anheuser-Busch was a great American brand that perhaps deserved a second chance.[9][10]

The Can That Cost a Crown

On April 1, 2023, Dylan Mulvaney posted an Instagram video promoting a Bud Light March Madness contest, showing a commemorative can the brand had sent with her face on it to mark a year since her transition.[1] Calls for a boycott spread within days, amplified when Kid Rock posted a video of himself shooting cases of Bud Light.[1]

Sales fell for weeks on end. On April 14, 2023, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth issued a statement saying "We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer."[2] The two marketing executives who oversaw the partnership were placed on leave.[2]

The numbers kept sliding anyway. Parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev told investors that US revenue fell 10.5 percent in the second quarter of 2023 from a year earlier, primarily due to the volume decline of Bud Light.[11] In June 2023, Modelo Especial passed Bud Light as the best selling beer in America.[12] By mid 2024, Bud Light had slipped to third place in US store dollar sales, behind Modelo and Anheuser-Busch's own Michelob Ultra, though it remained first by case volume.[13]

Losing the Perfect Score

Before the boycott, Anheuser-Busch held a score of 100, the top rating, on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, a benchmark the group uses to grade corporate policies affecting LGBTQ employees.[8]

The company's response to the backlash satisfied neither side. In an April 26, 2023 letter, the Human Rights Campaign asked Anheuser-Busch to issue a public statement of support for Mulvaney and for transgender customers and employees. The company did not respond. On May 9, 2023, the group suspended Anheuser-Busch's Corporate Equality Index score, stripping the company's right to use the "Best Places to Work" designation.[8] An HRC official called the episode "a textbook example of what not to do."[8]

The result was a company under fire from both directions at once: boycotted on the right for running the campaign, and stripped of its top LGBTQ workplace rating on the left for refusing to stand by it.[1]

The Rebuild: UFC, Camo Bottles, and a Second Chance

The recovery strategy centered on new sports and entertainment partnerships. In October 2023, Anheuser-Busch signed a six year deal making Bud Light the official beer of UFC starting January 1, 2024, a sponsorship CNBC reported was "well into the nine figures" and the largest in the promotion's history.[9] UFC chief Dana White framed the reunion in explicitly cultural terms, saying he chose Bud Light "because I feel we are very aligned when it comes to our core values and what the UFC brand stands for."[14]

White then took the pitch to Donald Trump personally. In February 2024, days after White asked him to back the company, Trump posted that "Anheuser-Busch is a Great American Brand that perhaps deserves a Second Chance?"[10] The brand also signed comedian Shane Gillis as a pitchman, released camouflage bottles, and watched Kid Rock publicly soften his stance.[13]

The portfolio has been recovering around Bud Light rather than through it. Michelob Ultra became one of the industry's fastest share gainers, and Anheuser-Busch has kept adding production capacity for it, including a $20 million upgrade to its flagship St. Louis brewery and a Missouri can plant announced in June 2026.[15][16]

Where the Money Actually Goes

Anheuser-Busch's political giving is tracked by OpenSecrets as aggregated organizational totals: the corporate Anheuser-Busch PAC, employee and owner donations of $200 or more, and soft money to parties, combined, including money from subsidiaries and affiliates such as Busch Properties, Craft Brew Alliance, and Goose Island Beer Co. OpenSecrets notes that the organization itself does not donate; the money comes from those PACs, from individual members, employees, or owners, and from their immediate families.[5]

Reading the last three presidential cycles oldest to newest, and counting only the dollars OpenSecrets attributes to one party or the other: the 2016 cycle totaled $1,209,649, of which 45 percent went to Democrats and 55 percent to Republicans; the 2020 cycle totaled $1,287,949, split 57 percent to Democrats and 43 percent to Republicans; and the 2024 cycle totaled $1,221,409, split 37 percent to Democrats and 63 percent to Republicans.[5] The 2024 cycle was the first time since 2018 that the majority of party attributed giving went to Republicans. That cycle covers 2023 and 2024, the two years after the boycott began, though the disclosure records show only the totals and not the reasons behind them. The intervening 2022 cycle had leaned Democratic at 55 percent.[5]

The 2024 recipient list shows where that money landed. The largest single recipient was GOPAC, a Republican candidate training organization, at $265,000, all of it from PACs. The Republican National Committee took $238,665, all of it from individual donors rather than from the corporate PAC. The Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC aligned with House Republican leadership, received $100,000. Democratic committees appeared further down the list: the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee at $39,952 and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee at $34,025. Kamala Harris received $23,778, all of it from individuals. The Oklahoma Victory Committee received $20,000.[23] Looking only at congressional candidates, a narrower slice of $288,348, Republicans took 61 percent and Democrats 39 percent, and 95 percent of that money went to incumbents.[23]

Within those totals, the corporate PAC remains a steady presence: the Anheuser-Busch PAC raised $504,631 in the 2024 cycle from 778 large individual contributions.[17]

The company has also given outside the campaign finance system. Anheuser-Busch contributed $250,000 to Donald Trump's 2017 presidential inaugural committee, according to the committee's disclosure filed with the Federal Election Commission.[24] Inaugural committees operate under no federal contribution limits, though Trump's committee capped corporate gifts at $1 million.[24]

Lobbying is a bigger line item than campaign giving. Anheuser-Busch reported $5,080,000 in federal lobbying for calendar year 2024 and about $5.39 million for calendar year 2025, per Senate disclosures compiled by OpenSecrets.[6][7] In 2024 the company ranked 112th of more than 9,200 organizations tracked for federal lobbying spending.[6] The company reported no outside spending in the 2024 cycle.[6]

Veterans, Water Cans, and 99 Percent Made in America

Anheuser-Busch's public identity leans heavily on military and hometown themes. The company is a founding partner of Folds of Honor, the scholarship charity for families of fallen and disabled service members and first responders, and said in October 2024 that it and its brands and wholesalers had donated $28 million to the organization over 14 years.[18] Its emergency drinking water program has periodically paused beer production to can water for disaster relief since 1988.[19]

The company has also been pressing an American manufacturing message. In May 2025 it committed $300 million to a Brewing Futures initiative for its US facilities, including manufacturing career programs for veterans.[20] In April 2026 it doubled that commitment, announcing $600 million across 2025 and 2026, along with 15 new technical skills training centers and expanded veteran hiring.[25] In company statements, Anheuser-Busch says 99 percent of the products it sells in the United States are made in the United States, across 23 breweries and more than 18,000 US employees.[19][21]

From a St. Louis Brewery to a Belgian Giant

Anheuser-Busch began in St. Louis in the 1850s, grew under Eberhard Anheuser and his son in law Adolphus Busch, and introduced Budweiser in 1876. The independent American company ended in 2008, when Belgian Brazilian brewer InBev acquired it, creating Anheuser-Busch InBev, which is incorporated and headquartered in Belgium and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker BUD.[3][4]

Michel Doukeris has been chief executive officer of the global parent since July 1, 2021.[4] Brendan Whitworth has run the US business as CEO of Anheuser-Busch and president of the North America zone since the same date.[22] Before joining the beer business, Whitworth spent eight years in the United States Marine Corps and the Central Intelligence Agency, a background the company features prominently.[3]

Where to Find Them

Anheuser-Busch brands, including Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Busch Light, Stella Artois, and Cutwater Spirits, are sold in grocery stores, convenience stores, bars, and restaurants nationwide. Brand information, brewery tours, and company news are at anheuser-busch.com.[21]

Footnotes

[1] Associated Press via HuffPost, "Anheuser-Busch Loses LGBTQ+ Rating For Response To Dylan Mulvaney Backlash," May 20, 2023. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/anheuser-busch-lgbtq-rating-dylan-mulvaney_n_64683cdde4b0355739365202

[2] Max Zahn, ABC News, "The boycott against Bud Light is hammering sales. Experts explain why," May 23, 2023. https://abcnews.go.com/Business/boycott-bud-light-hammering-sales-experts-explain/story?id=99505649

[3] AB InBev, "Our Leaders: Brendan Whitworth," accessed July 29, 2026. https://www.ab-inbev.com/our-leaders-brendan-whitworth

[4] Anheuser-Busch InBev, SEC Form 6-K exhibit, "Michel Doukeris Assumes CEO Role at Anheuser-Busch InBev," July 1, 2021. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1668717/000119312521206340/d68444dex991.htm

[5] OpenSecrets, "Anheuser-Busch Profile: Totals," accessed July 29, 2026. https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/anheuser-busch/totals?id=D000042510

[6] OpenSecrets, "Anheuser-Busch Profile: Summary," accessed July 29, 2026. https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/anheuser-busch/summary?id=D000042510

[7] OpenSecrets, "Anheuser-Busch Lobbying Profile," accessed July 29, 2026. https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?id=D000042510

[8] Associated Press via Fortune, "LGBTQ group suspends Bud Light maker's rating," May 19, 2023. https://fortune.com/2023/05/19/lgbtq-group-suspends-bud-light-makers-rating-transgender

[9] Jessica Golden, CNBC, "Anheuser-Busch and UFC strike multiyear partnership, as brewer tries to turn around Bud Light sales," October 24, 2023. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/24/anheuser-busch-and-ufc-strike-partnership-amid-bud-light-slump.html

[10] Brian Schwartz, CNBC, "Trump's pro-Anheuser-Busch post came after UFC boss Dana White urged him to back company, source says," February 9, 2024. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/09/trumps-pro-anheuser-busch-post-came-after-ufc-boss-dana-white-urged-him-to-back-company-source-says.html

[11] NBC News, "Bud Light sales plunged after boycott over campaign with transgender influencer, company reveals," August 3, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/bud-light-sales-plunged-boycott-campaign-transgender-influencer-compan-rcna97944

[12] Yahoo Finance via USA Today, "Bud Light offers $15 beer rebates for Fourth of July weekend amid boycott, declining sales," June 2023. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bud-light-offers-15-beer-161844466.html

[13] Fox News, "Bud Light still reeling from 'unforced error' as Modelo Especial and Michelob Ultra both surpassed it," July 19, 2024. https://www.foxnews.com/media/bud-light-still-reeling-from-unforced-error-modelo-especial-michelob-ultra-both-surpassed

[14] Fox News, "UFC announces Bud Light official beer partnership with Anheuser-Busch," October 24, 2023. https://www.foxnews.com/media/ufc-announces-bud-light-official-beer-partnership-anheuser-busch

[15] Food Dive, "Anheuser-Busch invests $20M in Michelob Ultra production in bet on beer rebound," June 17, 2026. https://www.fooddive.com/news/anheuser-busch-michelob-ultra-manufacturing-investment-st-louis-20m/823134/

[16] Seeking Alpha, "Anheuser-Busch adds more Michelob Ultra capacity as the beer brand stays hot," January 6, 2026. https://seekingalpha.com/news/4537051-anheuser-busch-adds-more-michelob-ultra-capacity-as-the-beer-brand-stays-hot

[17] OpenSecrets, "PAC Profile: Anheuser-Busch (C00034488)," 2024 cycle, accessed July 29, 2026. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/anheuser-busch/C00034488/summary/2024

[18] Anheuser-Busch via PR Newswire, "Anheuser-Busch Continues Longstanding Commitment to Folds of Honor with Bud Light and NFL Ahead of National First Responders Day," October 23, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/anheuser-busch-continues-longstanding-commitment-to-folds-of-honor-with-bud-light-and-nfl-ahead-of-national-first-responders-day-302283917.html

[19] Anheuser-Busch via WebWire, "Anheuser-Busch Honors St. Louis First Responders with $100,000 Donation for National First Responders Day," October 29, 2025. https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=345859

[20] Anheuser-Busch, "Anheuser-Busch Announces New $300 Million Investment in Manufacturing Operations Across the US," May 12, 2025. https://www.anheuser-busch.com/newsroom/anheuser-busch-announces-new-300-million-investment-in-manufacturing-operations-across-the-US

[21] Ben E. Keith Beverages, "Ben E. Keith Beverages and Anheuser-Busch Donates $30,000 to Folds of Honor," July 3, 2025. https://www.benekeith.com/beverage/blog/ben-e-keith-beverages-and-anheuser-busch-donates-30000-to-folds-of-honor

[22] Brewbound, "Anheuser-Busch Appoints Brendan Whitworth as North America Zone President," June 28, 2021. https://www.brewbound.com/news/anheuser-busch-appoints-brendan-whitworth-as-north-america-zone-president/

[23] OpenSecrets, "Anheuser-Busch Profile: Recipients," 2024 cycle, accessed July 30, 2026. https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/anheuser-busch/recipients?id=D000042510

[24] 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee, disclosure filed with the Federal Election Commission, April 18, 2017. http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/286/201704180300150286/201704180300150286.pdf ; reviewed in Dave Levinthal, Center for Public Integrity, "Donald Trump inauguration bankrolled by corporate giants," April 19, 2017. https://publicintegrity.org/politics/donald-trump-inauguration-bankrolled-by-corporate-giants/

[25] Anheuser-Busch, "Anheuser-Busch Increases Investment in U.S. Manufacturing to $600 Million," April 22, 2026. https://www.anheuser-busch.com/newsroom/anheuser-busch-increases-investment-in-US-manufacturing-to-600-million