Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin is facing internal scrutiny after a New York Times report revealed he threw his phone toward the desk of a junior aide during a moment of frustration in early July, according to multiple sources familiar with the incident.
The phone did not strike the staffer, according to sources briefed on the matter, though the incident left nearby aides shaken and prompted a formal complaint to the DNC’s human resources department. Martin reportedly apologized to the aide the following business day.
Raging DNC boss Ken Martin threw phone at aide's desk as committee forced to put up HQ as loan collateral: report https://t.co/A2F9R61olt pic.twitter.com/49op265DAJ
— New York Post (@nypost) July 26, 2026
The details of what set Martin off remain unclear. The episode occurred after a scheduled block of calls with political allies and donors, according to people familiar with the matter. Some sources described the throw as forceful; others said the phone landed on the desk rather than being aimed at the aide directly.
The phone incident coincided with reporting on the committee’s financial position. According to the Times, the DNC currently carries roughly $2 million in debt, compared with $128.5 million on hand for the Republican National Committee. A separate report from NOTUS found the DNC pledged its Southeast Washington headquarters building as collateral last year to secure a $15 million loan — the largest off-year loan in the committee’s history.
A DNC official said using the building as collateral is not new, noting it has been done in prior election cycles, including 2014, 2018 and 2019. Executive Director Roger Lau said a related request asking vendors to delay invoicing was standard practice.
Martin published an essay on Substack this past week defending the committee’s fundraising and spending strategy, citing $207 million in receipts as the strongest out-of-power fundraising performance in party history. He has not directly addressed the phone-throwing report.
Martin was elected DNC chair in February 2025 following a competitive race. His tenure has since included a public disagreement with activist David Hogg and criticism over the committee’s review of the 2024 election.
With roughly 100 days remaining before the midterm elections, the reports have raised questions among some party members about the committee’s financial footing and internal management heading into November.