Since the announcement of former President Donald Trump's federal indictment last Thursday, his 2024 presidential campaign reports raising over $6.6 million. A significant portion of these funds, $4.5 million, originated from online grassroots donations. An additional $2.1 million was raised during a high-profile fundraiser held at Trump's Bedminster, New Jersey golf club on Tuesday evening, just hours after his arraignment in federal court in Miami.
The fundraiser, attended by key donors and bundlers, took place shortly after Trump's return from Miami, where he pleaded not guilty to 37 felony charges related to the handling of classified documents after leaving office. Following his arrival in Bedminster, Trump addressed the public in a speech broadcast on several cable news networks. He then joined the fundraising event inside the club, offering brief remarks to his supporters, including Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.
Although Trump maintains a strong lead in Republican primary polls, his fundraising efforts face competition from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who garnered a record-breaking $8 million within 24 hours of announcing his candidacy. This isn't the first time Trump's campaign has seen a surge in donations following legal challenges. After being indicted by the Manhattan district attorney in March, the campaign reported raising $4 million in the first 24 hours and $15.4 million over two weeks.
While a large portion of Trump's fundraising comes from small individual donations, the success of the Bedminster event, reaching its target of $2.1 million, demonstrates his continued influence with wealthy donors. Ninety percent of the proceeds from this event will go directly to the Trump 2024 campaign, with the remaining ten percent allocated to his Save America PAC, which covers non-campaign expenses, including legal fees.
