DNC chair faces growing scrutiny amid financial pressure and internal turmoil

Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, during an interview in Washington in November 2025. Photograph: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, during an interview in Washington in November 2025. Photograph: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images DNC chair faces growing scrutiny amid financial pressure and internal turmoil Fraught time for Ken Martin as new reporting details cash-flow problem and divisions over party’s direction Mounting financial pressures and growing internal turmoil at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) have intensified scrutiny of chair Ken Martin, as new reporting detailed a deepening cash-flow problem, management concerns and widening divisions over the party’s direction less than 100 days before the November midterm elections. The latest reporting has underscored both the committee’s financial distress and the toll it has taken on Martin personally. The New York Times reported that the embattled DNC chair, who took the helm last year, became the subject of an internal HR inquiry after throwing his phone in the direction of a junior aide’s desk during a heated exchange in early July, prompting a formal complaint. The Times, citing people familiar with the matter, also reported that the incident nearly cost him his job and has contributed to growing isolation with the party as the committee grapples with mounting financial strain. The latest revelations include that the DNC put its physical Washington DC headquarters up for collateral last year in order to obtain a $15m line of credit to help invest in off-year elections, Notus reported, citing Washington DC deed records . The New York Times separately reported that the DNC is about $2m in debt, compared with roughly $130m cash on hand held by the Republican National Committee. The committee argued that the arrangement was “not new” and that it had done so to secure loans previously. However, one DNC member told the outlet: “Ken is gaslighting us about the DNC’s finances and not being transparent about the financial situation makes us doubt if he can oversee the DNC during the most important primary of our lifetime.” Another Democrat close to Martin told Notus he had struggled to convince donors to maximize their contributions, which had contributed to the small cash-on-hand total. Adding to the party’s financial woes, the Times reported that the DNC had asked vendors not to send invoices until after the midterm elections in November. Roger Lau, the executive director of the DNC, told the Times in a statement that the bill-deferral discussions were “nothing more than standard negotiations with vendors over contracts and payment processes”. It’s an increasingly fraught time for Martin, whose tenure has been marked by turbulence almost since the start, when he became embroiled in a public spat with then vice-chair David Hogg. Their philosophical disagreement proved irreco