Donald Trump has raised $15.4 million in the days since his unprecedented indictment by a Manhattan prosecutor, his campaign said, thanks to a surge of support from small-dollar donors.
(Bloomberg) — Donald Trump has raised $15.4 million in the days since his unprecedented indictment by a Manhattan prosecutor, his campaign said, thanks to a surge of support from small-dollar donors.
Almost 98% of the donations since the indictment on March 30 came from donors who gave less than $200, and 24% came from first-time contributors to Trump, who has raised money continuously since first becoming a candidate in 2015. His average donation over the period was less than $50.
Read more: Trump Basks in Limelight of Indictment to Lure Donors for 2024
The surge follows a disappointing start to Trump’s fundraising. He raised a total of $18.8 million in the first quarter, including $4 million that came the day after a grand jury voted to indict the former president on March 30. That was less than the $20.4 million he raised in the fourth quarter of 2022, which included $9.5 million after he announced his third run for the White House on Nov. 15.
The slow money momentum adds to speculation that Trump is far from being a shoe-in for the Republican nomination. The figures are the first released since other Trump challengers have entered the race, including South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott also formed a presidential exploratory committee this month.
Trump allies are hoping that the 34 charges brought against Trump by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will help propel his campaign and solidify support for the former president’s third bid for the White House. The charges relate to alleged improper payments, including to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, made during his first White House run. Trump pleaded not guilty and has said the case is politically motivated.
The indictment, the first in history of a former US president, fired up Trump’s donor base. Before it was announced, he sought to raise money off speculation, some fueled by his own posts on Truth Social, that Bragg would bring charges against him. He announced his arrest was imminent on March 18, and sent frequent fundraising pitches thereafter citing the unfairness of the prosecution, referring to it as the “Manhattan witch hunt.”
Trump’s campaign, which raises money through a joint fundraising committee that also benefits his leadership PAC, received $14.1 million from it and entered April with $13.9 million cash on hand, according to figures it released ahead of disclosing those totals to the Federal Election Commission. The totals were first reported by Politico.
In separate documents released Friday, Trump said his business is valued at a minimum of $1.2 billion.
Notably absent from the latest Federal Election Commission data is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is widely believed to announce a run for president later this year. He didn’t report any figures since he isn’t officially a candidate.
DeSantis, who has consistently polled as the No. 2 choice behind Trump, reported raising $3.7 million in March for his Florida governor account, down from about $10 million a month prior. He has about $85.9 million on hand, which he could transfer to federal super PAC if he runs.
Read more: Trump Says His Business Empire Is Worth at Least $1.2 Billion
Trump’s first-quarter haul puts him ahead of Haley, whose campaign announced on April 5 it had raised more than $11 million in the six weeks since she launched her campaign on Feb. 15. Her campaign has $4.1 million in the bank.
Ramaswamy’s campaign took in $11.4 million, including $10.5 million from the candidate. The biotech entrepreneur who’s also running for the GOP presidential nomination and is running television ads in early primary states ended March with $9.4 million cash on hand.
Scott has nearly $22 million in cash in the bank left over from his Senate campaign, which he can use for his campaign if he announces a White House bid.
–With assistance from Mark Niquette and Laura Davison.
(Updates with DeSantis fundraising details, Scott account balances.)
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