NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s campaign indignant President Joe Biden by more than $60 million last month, according to federal documents released Thursday that detailed the Republican fundraising boom sparked by Trump’s criminal convictions.
The Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee jointly raised a hefty $85 million in May and reported $212 million in the bank at the end of the month. The strong performance does not include about $40 million raised by Biden and his top surrogates in recent days — or a separate $20 million donation from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to pro-Biden groups.
Still, Trump’s fundraising for at least a month seemed to overshadow Biden’s.
The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee said they raised an impressive $141 million in May, including tens of millions donated immediately after Trump was condemned of 34 felonies in the New York secret money case. At the same time, billionaire Timothy Mellon donated a staggering $50 million to a pro-Trump super PAC the day after Trump’s guilty verdict, according to documents released Thursday.
The Trump campaign refused to disclose how much money it had in the bank at the end of May, prompting the Biden campaign to question whether the groups were still spending heavily to cover Trump’s legal fees.
“Our strong and consistent fundraising program grew by millions in May, a clear sign of strong and growing enthusiasm from the President and Vice President each month,” said Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez. “The money we continue to raise is important and is helping the campaign build an operation that is invested in reaching and winning over the voters who will decide this election – a stark contrast to Trump’s PR stunts and photo opportunities that he fakes. be a campaign.
Taken together, the numbers detailed in the Federal Election Commission’s latest campaign filings suggest that Democrats may still maintain a monetary advantage in the 2024 presidential race. But nearly four months before Election Day, Trump’s side is narrowing the gap. distance – if it is not already eliminated.
The new fundraising numbers also underscore the extent to which the rules of presidential politics are being rewritten in the Trump era.
At almost any other time in US history, a presidential candidate would have been forced to abandon an election after being convicted of dozens of crimes. But in 2024, Trump’s guilty verdict has fueled instead a huge surge in fundraising that puts his team in a position to boost publicity and shake up state infrastructure just as voters begin to pay more attention to elections.
Backed by Mellon’s massive donation, the pro-Trump super PAC known as MAGA Inc. has booked $3.5 million in television advertising set to begin July 3 in Georgia and Pennsylvania on Thursday, according to the company AdImpact media tracking tool. Overall, the group reported revenue of US$68.8 million in May, ending the month with US$93.7 million in the bank.
Mellon has been among the biggest donors to Trump and independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., although his support for Kennedy may be waning.
Kennedy raised $2.6 million last month and ended May with $6.4 million in the bank. The vast majority of his fundraising came from running mate Nicole Shanahan, a wealthy Silicon Valley lawyer. Kennedy’s campaign spent more than it raised in the month.
The numbers released Thursday did not include anything raised in June, including about $40 million raised by Biden and his top surrogates in recent days. The vast majority came from a fundraiser last Saturday featuring movie stars and former President Barack Obama in Los Angeles, which raised more than $30 million. First Lady Jill Biden is also at her own personal fundraiser, which raised $1.5 million.
Meanwhile, Biden also received a big boost from Bloomberg.
The billionaire philanthropist, who briefly ran for president as a Democrat in 2020, sent $19 million to the pro-Biden group Future Forward, in addition to sending the legal maximum of $929,600 to the Biden Victory Fund, according to a person familiar with the transfers.
Bloomberg also formally endorsed Biden on Thursday. “I supported Joe Biden in 2020 and am proud to do so again,” Bloomberg said in a statement.
Biden’s campaign said the vast majority of its latest fundraising came from grassroots donors such as nurses, teachers and retirees. Overall, Biden’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee attracted more than three million new donors last month, according to a campaign statement.
“While Trump is unleashing his billionaire sycophants, our campaign represents the voices of America, and we are honored to have their support as we move toward November,” said Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison.
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AP Writer Seung Min Kim in Washington and Jill Colvin in New York contributed.
