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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Lucy Campbell and Lauren Gambino

DNC chair faces growing scrutiny amid financial pressure and internal turmoil

a man speaking
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

Mounting financial pressures and growing internal turmoil at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) have intensified scrutiny of the chair, Ken Martin, as new reporting detailed a deepening cashflow 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.

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