Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is leveraging his ongoing hush money trial to bolster fundraising efforts, appealing to both small donors and major financial supporters to help mitigate his significant fundraising gap with Democratic President Joe Biden.
As the trial kicked off in New York with jury selection this past Monday, Trump’s campaign has been proactively sending out dramatically worded fundraising emails to his base of small donors, a group that notably supported him following his initial charges last year.
Email appeals from the campaign include stark messages, with one stating, “I could be locked up for life,” and another expressing frustration over being “stuck in Biden’s corrupt court AGAIN,” despite the trial being conducted in a New York state court by the Manhattan district attorney, not by the Biden administration.
The outcome of the trial could result in a maximum of four years in prison for Trump, though historically similar cases often concluded with probation and fines instead of prison time.
Recent trends suggest a decline in enthusiasm from Trump’s small-donor base, indicating a potential shift towards relying more on major donors as the November 5 election against Biden approaches.
Reports show that the Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee raised $33.6 million in the first quarter from donors contributing $200 or less, a significant decrease from the $50.6 million raised during the same period in the 2020 cycle by the Trump Make America Great Again Committee.
Despite the overall slowdown in donations as legal challenges mount, small donors remain a pivotal element of Trump’s funding strategy, having contributed $13 million in the week following his indictment last year.
However, signs of “Trump fatigue” are emerging, as described by Brandeis University politics professor Zachary Albert, who noted the relentless solicitation of funds from these supporters.
The Trump campaign, which has not disclosed specific details of its fundraising strategies, reported a February collection of $10.9 million, markedly less than Biden’s $21.3 million.
Amid financial pressures exacerbated by rising legal costs, Trump has intensified efforts to secure large donations through increased donor events and direct outreach to potential benefactors, including recent fundraisers in Georgia and Florida aiming to raise substantial amounts.
Despite some hesitance among long-standing Republican donors due to concerns over Trump’s personality and the fallout from the January 6 Capitol attack, others are motivated by the ongoing trials.
Notably, a fundraiser hosted at hedge fund manager John Paulson’s home in Palm Beach claimed over $50 million, with notable attendees like Robert Mercer and Phil Ruffin.
Furthermore, a fundraising group supporting Trump has spent over $55 million on legal fees since the beginning of 2023, with small donors largely footing the bill.
Yet, some donors are reassured by the Republican National Committee’s strategies for battleground states, with continued support influenced by the unfolding legal dramas.
As the trial progresses, Trump’s outreach to influential conservative donors, including a recent virtual appearance at a Rockbridge Network meeting in Florida, underscores the trial’s central role in his current fundraising endeavors.