Former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party commenced their high-dollar general election fundraising operation on Saturday evening. A gathering of major donors, including both staunch loyalists and newly engaged supporters, took place in Palm Beach, Florida, to rally behind the GOP’s presumptive nominee.
During his address to donors, Trump discussed a range of topics including tax cuts, border security, achieving “energy independence,” getting rid of President Biden’s electric vehicle mandate, and safeguarding Israel. This information was shared by a campaign official and individuals who were familiar with his comments.
According to an attendee, Vivek and Lara’s comments were incredibly inspiring, especially following President Trump’s exceptional remarks. The attendee described the President’s speech as focused, strong, and kind towards others. They were particularly impressed by his clear plans for the future, emphasizing his commitment to success for every American without seeking retribution.
According to a participant, the fundraiser attendees expressed their dissatisfaction with Biden’s recent appeal for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza. This particular issue was brought up and discussed by other guests at the event.
After listening to Trump’s remarks on Saturday night, the attendee expressed a sense of gratitude as their main takeaway.
When Trump emerged as the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee, both he and the party faced a considerable fundraising challenge. In April, they found themselves lagging behind Biden and the Democratic Party, with a $100 million deficit in their campaign funds. Biden and the Democrats boasted a war chest of $190 million, a significant advantage over Trump and the GOP. These figures were announced by the respective campaigns, highlighting the financial gap that needed to be bridged.
The Trump campaign, on the other hand, is proudly promoting Saturday’s fundraiser as the start of its significant fundraising efforts for the general election. With the support of wealthy Republican donors rallying behind him, they assert that this event highlights the former president’s exceptional fundraising skills. Their goal is to swiftly bridge the fundraising gap with their Democratic counterparts.
According to a statement from Trump campaign spokesperson Danielle Alvarez, it took three Democrat presidents to raise $25 million, while President Donald J. Trump alone raised over $50 million.
Before entering host John Paulson’s house on Saturday evening, Trump took a moment to address the press, expressing his enthusiasm for the incredible evening that had already transpired.
“This evening is already shaping up to be incredible, even before it begins, as people are eager to contribute to the cause of making America great again,” he enthusiastically stated, emphasizing the significance of November Election Day.
The event, which charged donors a steep price of over $800,000 per ticket, successfully raised funds for multiple entities including the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee, and various state GOP committees. Additionally, the event contributed to Trump’s Save America leadership PAC, which allowed donors to contribute up to $5,000. The funds generated by this PAC have been utilized to cover a significant portion of the former President’s legal expenses, amounting to tens of millions of dollars, as disclosed.
The co-chairs for Trump’s Saturday fundraiser consist of a notable group of individuals, including former ambassadors, Trump administration officials such as Linda McMahon, former Small Business Administrator, and Wilbur Ross, former Commerce Secretary. Additionally, Woody Johnson, the owner of the New York Jets, is also among the co-chairs. This information was obtained from an invitation to the fundraiser obtained by ABC News.
The invitation revealed that the co-chairs of the event include Todd Ricketts, former Trump Victory finance chair, Harold Hamm, energy mogul, Robert Bigelow, aerospace executive, Robert Mercer, hedge fund manager, along with his daughter Rebekah Mercer, and Phil Ruffin, casino tycoon.
In a statement to ABC News on Saturday evening, Paulson announced, “We have achieved an unprecedented milestone of raising $50.5 million for President Trump’s re-election campaign. This remarkable success establishes a new record for the highest amount ever raised in a single political fundraiser. The overwhelming support we received exemplifies the immense enthusiasm for President Trump and his policies.”
In a fundraising video posted on X, Instagram, and Facebook, Biden expressed gratitude towards grassroots donors for their generous contributions to his campaign. He also took the opportunity to criticize Trump for exclusively attending a fundraiser that catered to wealthy donors.
“Folks, today in Florida, Trump is busy collecting funds from a group of wealthy hedge fund billionaires,” Biden remarked. “This campaign is a clash between Scranton and Palm Beach, a grassroots movement that represents hardworking individuals such as nurses, teachers, firefighters, and police officers, against Donald Trump and a handful of billionaires who are seeking tax cuts.”
The fundraiser held by Biden, alongside Obama and Clinton, attracted tickets priced at $500,000. While this amount was lower than the tickets for Trump’s recent fundraiser, it is worth noting that the Biden campaign and the Democratic Party managed to secure donations exceeding $800,000.
