Former President Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee are setting their sights on closing the fundraising gap between his campaign and President Joe Biden’s, using events like the donor retreat on Saturday in Florida to do so.
Trump’s campaign and the RNC told GOP donors during a weekend retreat they expect to raise more than $76 million in April. The April figures, with more than half coming from small-dollar donors, are an increase from the $65.6 million Trump and the RNC raised in March, suggesting the former president’s finances are improving after securing the presidential nomination two months ago.
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The two groups entered April with $93.1 million in cash on hand.
“President Donald J. Trump is not only winning across every battleground state, but we are raising the resources necessary to deliver a victory in November,” Trump campaign senior advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles boasted in a statement. “With half of funds raised coming from small dollar donors, it is clear that our base is energized. The Republican Party is united, and voters nationwide are ready to FIRE Joe Biden and elect President Donald J. Trump.”
Throughout the 2024 race, the GOP has trailed the Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee’s fundraising prowess.
Biden’s campaign and the DNC raised $90 million in March, with $192 million cash on hand, more than double Trump and the RNC’s $93.1 million reserves.
Yet, Trump and the RNC claim that the GOP is rallying to Trump’s efforts and will soon cut into Biden’s lead.
“Soaring past predictions, April defied the pundits and our naysayers with a huge fundraising haul — just like President Trump has done in poll after poll,” RNC Chairman Michael Whatley and co-Chairwoman Lara Trump said in a statement. “The American people are fed up with weak Joe Biden’s failed economy, border crisis, and unacceptable responses to antisemitic violence spreading across college campuses nationwide. Our team will continue working every day to exceed expectations, raise the funds we need, and build an unmatched party infrastructure to prove that President Trump’s momentum is unstoppable.”
In March, more than a dozen donors gave at least $800,000 to the Trump 47 Committee, a new joint fundraising committee between the Trump campaign and the RNC.
It was another sign that GOP megadonors are increasingly coming to Trump’s rescue ahead of the November election.
In early April, the Trump campaign announced it raised roughly $50.5 million, nearly double the $26 million Biden raised during a New York City fundraiser with former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. The Trump fundraiser in Florida was hosted by billionaire investor John Paulson.
“The momentum has long been on the side of President Trump, as evidenced by not only his record-shattering fundraising numbers, but polling that shows him dominating in swing states across the country. We look forward to continuing to bring President Trump’s America First message across the country and transforming the excitement around his campaign into a historic victory on November 5,” Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
The Trump campaign’s full April financials will be released to the Federal Election Commission later this month.
The GOP donor retreat was widely seen as an audition to become Trump’s running mate for several GOP lawmakers who gathered at Mar-a-Lago.
“His name is coming up a lot for vice president!” Trump said of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), according to a recording obtained by Axios.
“As a candidate, he did a good job, but as a surrogate he’s unbelievable,” Trump said of Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).
The veepstakes offer Trump a twofold advantage. It allows him to fundraise off of the intrigue over who he will select and change the political conversation from his legal problems as he remains in New York for a hush money payment trial.
“From engaging major donors at events like the one he had last month, to looking at VP candidate’s strong fundraising capabilities, to expressing openness to tapping into the donors networks of leaders like Ron DeSantis, President Trump is doing all the right things to accelerate his fundraising six months out,” a GOP operative, who requested anonymity, told the Washington Examiner.
Days before the GOP retreat, Trump and his one-time primary rival, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), met in Miami, Florida.
The hope is that DeSantis’s donors will move over to supporting Trump now that the frosty relationship between the two leaders has been broken.
“But Democrats had a strong head start and they’re not slowing down, so it’s imperative the Trump campaign keep up this progress in the weeks and months ahead,” the operative continued.
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Another GOP strategist similarly said the Trump campaign needs to build on their increasing fundraising success.
“I think the fundraising numbers were an improvement, a good sign which they want to build on because they want to make sure that they have the resources to go toe to toe, even though they will likely as past experience has shown, have less money,” said Ford O’Connell, a Florida-based Republican strategist.
