Donald Trump has a $100 million war chest, reports suggest, putting him in a strong position to stage another White House run in 2024.
The money held by the former president’s political action committees at the end of last month dwarfed the funds raised by other potential candidates as well as the Republican Party itself.
Despite comprehensively losing the election to Joe Biden last year, being impeached over the Capitol Hill riots in January and being kicked off his preferred social media platforms, the figures indicate that Trump retains the loyalty of the party faithful.
WinRed, the Republican Party’s website for online donations, shows that Trump, 75, has about $102 million at his disposal. He raised $56 million in online donations during the first six months of the year, the website shows.
Analysis by The New York Times suggests that the largest chunk, $34.3 million, came from an account shared with the Republican National Committee. A further $21 million came directly into Trump’s coffers.
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Tim Scott, the black Republican senator mentioned as a possible contender for nomination in 2024, was the second highest fundraiser, with $7.8 million.
Anyone who signs up to receive emailed updates from the former president is sent emails and text messages asking for money. “President Trump knows the name of every TRUMP LIFE member,” one text message said on Friday. “You STILL HAVEN’T joined yet . . . Why not?”
Trump made his first post-presidential speech in February, urging supporters to donate to him directly, rather than to the Republican Party. “There’s only one way to contribute to our efforts to elect ‘America First’ Republican conservatives and, in turn, to make America great again,” Trump said. “And that’s through Save America Pac and DonaldJTrump.com.” Polls indicate that most Republican Party members support Trump. But they are still in the dark over whether he intends to challenge Biden, 78, next time.
While he has hinted that he will run again, he has put off a formal decision until after the midterm elections in November next year. Recent polls indicate that not only do most Republicans want him to stand, a narrow majority accept his charge that the November election was stolen. There is no evidence to support Trump’s allegations.
While attacking Biden’s administration, he has criticised Republicans who have shunned his policies. Those who have strayed have become hate figures among his loyalists.
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The former president’s support may be waning, however. Recent polls have shown support growing for other, like-minded, leaders such as Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida.
Trump’s support did little for Susan Wright last week when she lost to Jake Ellzey in a special congressional election. Jana Lynne Sanchez, a Democrat who failed to make the runoff contested by the two Republicans, said: “It was basically a f*** you to Trump.”
