Donald Trump's new joint fundraising agreement with the Republican National Committee funnels donations to his campaign and the political action committee that pays the former president's legal bills before the Republican National Committee takes a cut, according to a fundraising call obtained by The Associated Press.
The unconventional transfer of funds to the Save America PAC increases the likelihood that Republican donors will see their money going to Trump's lawyers, who have received at least $76 million over the past two years defending him against four criminal indictments and several civil cases. Some Republicans are already concerned that Trump's takeover of the Republican National Committee could shortchange the cash-strapped party.
Trump invited high-income donors to Palm Beach, Florida, for an April 6 fundraiser that comes as his campaign funds lag far behind those of President Biden and national Democrats. The fine print of the invitation says donations to the Trump 47 Committee will first be used to give the maximum amount allowed under federal law to the Trump campaign. Anything left over from the donation after that goes toward the maximum contribution to Save America, the Republican National Committee and state political parties, in that order.
This is a departure from fundraising standards, said Adav Notti, executive director of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center in Washington. Candidates usually prioritize raising money that can be spent directly on campaign activities, Noti said. Save America, on the other hand, is organized as a “leadership political action committee” and is therefore prohibited from spending directly on Trump campaign activities. Legal costs accounted for 85% of Save America's total operating expenses during the first two months of this year, about the same amount in 2023, when those expenses were about 89%. It has spent $8.5 million on legal fees so far this year.
“The reason most candidates don't do this is because the hardest money to raise is money that can be spent directly on the campaign,” said Noti, the former Federal Election Commission lawyer. “No other candidate has used a leadership political action committee the way the Trump campaign has.”
The Trump campaign noted that Save America spends on expenses other than legal fees and that donors to the April fundraiser who contributed $814,600, or $250,000 per person, will have just $5,000 of their donations go to Save America, sending hundreds of thousands of Dollars to Save America. RNC.
“Save America also covers a very active and robust post-presidential office and various other expenses not related to combatting the illegal witch hunts perpetrated by conman Joe Biden. The Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee, and the state GOP parties ultimately receive the overwhelming majority of the funds that It is raised through the Trump 47 Committee. “Of the maximum individual donor contribution of $824,600, less than 1% (.006%) goes to Save America,” Stephen Cheung, Trump campaign communications director, said in a statement.
A separate contribution form for the Trump 47 Committee allows donors to make smaller contributions or a contribution of any size, but still states in the fine print that the donation will first be allocated to the Trump campaign and Save America.
Trump's leadership team pick for the Republican National Committee includes his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who is co-chair of the committee, and Chris LaCivita, who actually serves as one of Trump's two campaign managers and now also serves as chairman of the committee. Role of Chief of Staff at RNC.
Lara Trump said in February that she believed Republican voters would like to see the Republican National Committee pay Trump's legal fees.
But shortly before the vote to change leadership at the Republican National Committee, Lacivita told the AP in an interview that “not a dime of Republican National Committee money, or, for that matter, campaign money, has gone or will go to pay legal fees.” He said.
The Washington Post reported that before Trump announced his candidacy in 2024, the Republican National Committee was paying some of his legal bills for cases in New York that began when he was president. Former chair Ronna McDaniel, who was ousted this month, said in 2022 that the Republican National Committee would stop paying once Trump became the nominee.
The new arrangement does not direct Republican National Committee funds to lawyers, but it ensures that when checks are written to the new joint Republican campaign, the Trump campaign and Save America get paid first.
Depending on the fine print, any donor who wishes can direct their contribution to be distributed differently. Donors can also bypass fundraising arrangements and donate directly to the RNC or another entity.
Trump's political operation is struggling to catch up with Biden's in fundraising and organizing. His main campaign account and the Save America PAC reported raising $15.9 million in February and he finished the month with more than $37 million on hand, according to Federal Election Commission filings Wednesday night.
The two committees are an essential part of Trump's fundraising process, but they are just part of the picture. The rest of his fundraising apparatus is scheduled to announce updated numbers in April, along with a new Trump 47 committee formed with the Republican National Committee.
“Trump is desperate for money to pay his legal fees, and he is depleting his political action committee and spending huge sums of money from his campaign committee,” said Brett Cappel, a longtime campaign finance lawyer who has represented Republicans and Democrats alike.
Meanwhile, Biden's campaign said his political operation raised $53 million last month and ended February with $155 million. This includes Biden's joint fundraiser with the Democratic National Committee. The full picture will not be available until April when some committees in his political operation are due to report.
His main campaign account raised $21 million in February, according to his latest filings with the Federal Election Commission, and he finished the month with $71 million on hand.
As the party's presumptive nominee, Trump effectively controls the Republican National Committee, and his political operation can now benefit from the much higher contribution limits that apply to party committees. Although candidates can accept a maximum donation of $3,300, under the joint fundraising agreement, a single donor can sign a check for just over $800,000, while a married couple can contribute $1.6 million.
The April 6 fundraiser for the Trump 47 Committee lists billionaire investor John Paulson as host and co-chairs include Robert Bigelow, a Las Vegas businessman who supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign; New York grocery billionaire John Catsimatidis; Linda McMahon, former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment and head of the Small Business Administration when Trump was president; casino magnate Steve Wynn; And former US Senator from Georgia Kelly Loeffler.
Guests are asked to contribute $814,600 per person as a “lead” contributor, which comes with a seat at Trump's table, or $250,000 per person as a “host committee” contributor. Both options come with a photo opportunity and a personal copy of Trump's book featuring photos from his administration, titled “Our Journey Together.”
Three of Trump's former rivals for the Republican nomination — South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy — are scheduled to appear as “special guests.”
Price writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Brian Slodesko and Aaron Kessler in Washington contributed to this report.
