From 'really rich' to begging: Inside Trump's U-turn on one of his first campaign lies
During his 2016 campaign, Donald Trump talked a big game about how he was a “really rich” man who would be self-funding his first presidential run.
“I don’t need anybody’s money,” Trump said in his June 6, 2015 campaign announcement speech and again in an August 2015 interview in Iowa.
“I’m not using the lobbyists,” Trump continued in his first announcement speech.
“I really won’t be asking for money for myself, I’ll be asking money for the party,” Trump said in an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on May 4, 2016.
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“I don’t lie. I’m self-funding my campaign. I tell the truth … It’s my money,” declared Trump in a Feb. 19, 2016 interview with Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren.
But it turns out, Trump did lie about the self-funding of his 2016 campaign — at least partially.
While he put up $66 million of his own cash, he ended up raising $339 million from donors for his 2016 campaign — with at least $11 million coming back to Trump-owned industries through campaign payments, Reuters reported.
In 2020 he didn’t contribute at all to his reelection campaign and courted more than 100 billionaires for mega donations, Forbes reported. These are some of the exact people he tweeted “cannot influence Trump!” and would turn one of his opponents into a “perfect little puppet.”
On his third presidential run, Trump’s fundraising tune has drastically changed from braggadocious in 2016 to desperate in 2024.
Just this week, Trump’s joint fundraising committee sent out numerous emails signed by the former president asking donors to express their love for him through donations.
“I’m humbly asking YOU to stand with me and proclaim: I LOVE PRESIDENT TRUMP!” Trump wrote on Saturday in an email from the Trump National Committee.
“Please, Friend, I need your support,” read a fundraising email from the committee on Monday.
“Before the day is over, chip in and make your endorsement OFFICIAL,” said an email from the Trump National Committee on Wednesday.
All the emails directed potential donors to Trump’s WinRed page with a rapidly scrolling banner of all the “MAGA patriots” who contributed to his campaign.
Preselected donation amounts range from $20.24 to $47 up to $3,300, which go toward the joint fundraising committee authorized by his principal campaign committee, Donald J. Trump for President 2024, and the Republican National Committee.
Trump isn’t above peddling items to get cash from his supporters either, selling golden sneakers, memberships cards, bibles and nonfungible tokens, Raw Story reported.
Earlier this month, Trump posted on Truth Social to sell T-shirts with his face superimposed on a boxer’s body with the phrase “Anybody. Anytime. Anyplace.”
“I think you’ll really like this. It’s a Fighter’s phrase — Very cool, and it very much applies to our Country!” Trump posted on April 2.
Trump’s 180 degree embrace of GOP megadonors
It’s not just small donors — who are increasingly fatigued by Trump’s pitches — pumping money into Trump’s campaign. The former president has continued courting the Republican megadonors he once swore off for his 2016 campaign, The Center for Public Integrity reported.
“I wish good luck to all of the Republican candidates that traveled to California to beg for money etc. from the Koch Brothers. Puppets?” said Trump in an Aug. 2, 2015 tweet.
“This whole Super PAC scam is very unfair to a person like me who has disavowed all PAC’s & is self-funding,” he tweeted on Oct. 26, 2015.
Fast forward to earlier this month, Trump brought in $50.5 million from a swanky fundraiser at a billionaire’s mansion in Palm Beach, Fla., The Wall Street Journal reported. These donors – ranging from oil billionaires to hoteliers —are fundraising to help pay for Trump’s legal bills too, CNBC reported.
Trump is awaiting a check from Miriam Adelson, the wife of the late former Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson, who contributed $90 million to Trump in 2020, according to the The Wall Street Journal. Trump did an apparent about face from an Oct. 13, 2015 Tweet, saying “Sheldon Adelson is looking to give big dollars to Rubio because he feels he can mold him into his perfect little puppet. I agree!”
A new joint fundraising committee, the Trump 47 Committee, took in eight donations of at least $800,000, representing 62 percent of its fundraising, Politico reported. And Trump’s super PAC MAGA Inc. brought in $46 million in its first six months, Politico reported.
Still, Biden has built up a significant fundraising advantage over Trump for months, entering March with $155 million in cash on hand to Trump’s $42 million, The Hill reported.
Will Trump return to his self-funding promise?
Trump told reporters last month that he “might” contribute to his campaign as he last did in 2016 but that it was not reporters’ business, NBC News reported.
"I have a lot of cash and a great company," Trump said on March 25. "I might spend a lot of money on my campaign."
However, Trump faces a $454 million judgment (with interest) in a New York civil fraud case that found the Trump Organization liable for inflating real estate values for more favorable taxes and loans. He also owes writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in damages as he was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
“Ultimately, the former president is in need of cash for his legal work,” said Eric Chaffee, professor of law at Case Western Reserve University, who said Trump might try to offload his stock in Trump Media and Technology Group, which went public last month and has faced rapidly tumbling values, in attempt to help pay his legal bills.
Trump is currently facing four criminal cases, with jury selection under way in Manhattan related to falsifying business regarding an alleged hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Trump’s spokespeople did not respond to Raw Story’s request for comment.
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