In a significant development, the campaign of former President Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee (RNC) have announced that a Trump fundraiser held in Palm Beach, Florida, has achieved a remarkable feat by setting a new record for a presidential campaign. This event managed to raise over $50 million in a single night. It is noteworthy that this achievement comes shortly after Democrat President Joe Biden, accompanied by former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, set a record of $26 million during an event in New York City.
Trump’s fundraiser on Saturday evening nearly doubled that amount, indicating a substantial shift among Republican donors who are now rallying behind Trump. This surge in support can be attributed to the fact that last month, the former president surpassed the required number of delegates to secure the presumptive GOP nomination for president in a third consecutive election.
“Tonight will be an incredible night for President Trump and the Republican Party, raising an astounding $50.5 million,” Trump’s senior advisers announced:
“Meanwhile, after locking up the nomination in one of the fastest primaries in modern political history, Donald J. Trump is winning poll after poll and proving that the enthusiasm is on his side. It’s clearer than ever that we have the message, the operation, and the money to propel President Trump to victory on November 5.”
Michael Whatley, the newly appointed RNC chairman, along with co-chair Lara Trump, who is the daughter-in-law of Trump, emphasized that the fundraiser signifies the GOP’s unity in support of Trump and their preparedness for the upcoming battle against Biden.
“The success of tonight’s event is proving what we already know: Americans are fed up with Biden’s record of failure, from the open southern border and sky-high inflation to the migrant crime crisis that has made everyone less safe,” Whatley and Lara Trump said. “The Republican Party is united behind the effort to elect President Donald J. Trump, and Americans are lining up to join our movement and retire Crooked Joe Biden once and for all.”
🚨DONALD TRUMP AND ALIGNED GROUPS SMASH RECORDS AT PALM BEACH DINNER, RAISE $50.5 MILLIONhttps://t.co/UDw8rbkmho pic.twitter.com/FqkE8Ka8q2
— Karoline Leavitt (@kleavittnh) April 6, 2024
Hedge fund billionaire John Paulson, who has been mentioned as a potential candidate for Secretary of the Treasury if Trump wins again in November, organized a fundraiser at his Palm Beach mansion. The event, named the “Inaugural Leadership Dinner,” saw several donors contributing up to $824,600—the maximum donation for a “Chairman level” treatment, which included the opportunity to dine with Trump. The fundraiser was attended by former first lady Melania Trump, as well as three of Trump’s previous 2024 intra-party rivals: businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).
A published copy of the fundraising invitation by the New York Post revealed a list of prominent GOP donors, such as Robert Bigelow, Harold Hamm, Steve Wynn, Robert Mercer, Todd Ricketts, Scott Bessent, John Catsimatidis, former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and her husband Jeffrey Sprecher, among others. This fundraising event on Saturday evening for Trump set a new record, following the announcement earlier in the week by the Trump campaign and RNC that they had already raised $65.6 million in March and had $93.1 million in cash reserves.
In contrast, the Biden campaign and Democratic National Committee (DNC) disclosed that they had raised $90 million collectively by the end of March and had $192 million in cash reserves. Trump’s successful fundraiser on Saturday is expected to narrow this financial gap, especially as big GOP donors shift their support towards him now that the primary elections are over.