Trump’s $600M War Chest: His Plan to Dominate the Midterms and Beyond
WASHINGTON (AP) — Amidst a flurry of executive orders, international visits, and groundbreaking declarations,
Donald Trump
has also been busy accumulating wealth.
The president has gathered a campaign fund totaling at least $600 million from political contributions as the midterm elections approach, say three individuals knowledgeable about the situation. This figure represents an unparalleled amount in contemporary politics, especially considering it comes during the term of a lame-duck president.
prohibited by the U.S. Constitution
from running again.
Trump is maintaining a robust fundraising strategy aimed at amassing over $1 billion to support his initiatives and secure control of both the House and Senate come next November, as reported by individuals privy to these confidential discussions under conditions of anonymity.
The intense focus on raising funds may appear quite extraordinary for a president who previously shunned soliciting contributions during his initial campaign. However, those close to him assert that this strategy is logical: Through gathering resources, Trump secures influence.
Trump is keen on reversing the trend where Democrats consistently outfundraise GOP contenders and aims to amplify his own influence during his presidency. Should funds remain unspent once his term concludes, they could assist him in retaining significant sway within the Republican Party, thereby solidifying his position as its dominant power broker—poised to be an essential mentor and supporter for years to come, possibly extending until 2028 and beyond.
It’s about leveraging influence,” explained Marc Short, who was Trump’s director of legislative affairs during his initial term and subsequently became Chief of Staff for Vice President Mike Pence. “This demonstrates the extent of the power he continues to wield.
Inside Trump’s money operation
The day after
winning
In November’s election, Trump started contacting senior staffers with an unexpected proposal, as reported by two individuals familiar with these discussions. He expressed his desire to begin fundraising once more right away—not only for the transition phase and his inaugural event but also for various political committees aimed at showcasing his influence during what he anticipated as a potential second term.
Trump made calls to donors himself. One of the people described the message as “double up.” If a donor had given $1 million before the election, Trump wanted another $1 million now.
Individuals close to Trump characterize him as having an acute sense of timing, recognizing that his clout reached its zenith following his successful bid for resurgence. At this point, he hadn’t taken actions likely to estrange crucial support groups, and numerous individuals were eager to align themselves with the triumphant group.
He has kept up a swift fundraising momentum since becoming president, leading numerous upscale fundraiser events, which include a
$1.5 million-a-head event
On May 5, an event was held at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia exclusively for “cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence innovators.” Additionally, he hosted two “candlelit dinner” events at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, on April 4 and March 1 respectively.
Democrats and advocates for campaign finance reform have consistently criticized Trump for merging official duties with campaign activities. Numerous participants at these events could potentially benefit from actions taken by the federal government. However, a conservative-leaning Supreme Court along with Republican-led congressional leadership has gradually diminished regulations around campaign financing over several years.
The funds are distributed among several distinct committees, such as MAGA Inc., which is a long-standing super PAC linked to Trump, along with Securing American Greatness, a nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(4). This group emerged earlier this month.
began airing a commercial
supporting Trump’s economic strategy and promoting the approval of his tax proposal “to put our economy back on course.”
The operation is under the supervision of Chris LaCivita, who serves as co-campaign manager for Trump’s 2024 campaign, along with Tony Fabrizio, the President’s long-time pollster. Additional participants include Never Surrender, formerly known as Trump’s leadership Political Action Committee (PAC), and external organizations such as Building America’s Future, backed by Elon Musk. Both LaCivita and Fabrizio have taken up roles as senior advisors within these outside groups.
Additionally, there’s the fundraising for Trump’s future presidential library along with almost $240 million gathered for his inaugural celebrations.
‘I will be quite proactive.’
A key objective for these organizations is supporting Trump’s policy initiatives and aiding in the advancement of his legislative priorities within Congress. Securing American Greatness intends to invest over $10 million in their advertising campaign, which has been broadcast nationwide.
Much of their funding, though, remains untouched as they plan to make significant expenditures during the 2026 primary elections and midterm campaigns, aiming particularly to maintain and grow the Republican Party’s control over the House. Staff members are considering investments in advertisements, organizing rallies, and arranging trips to support preferred contenders. Additionally, they might contest sitting Republicans who have opposed the president or did not endorse his policy initiatives.
Trump has made clear that he intends to play an outsized role in next year’s midterm elections and has already begun issuing a flurry of endorsements in races across the country.
In 2018, during his initial term, Republicans ceded control of the House to Democrats. These Democrats subsequently hindered many aspects of Trump’s policy initiatives and eventually impeached him twice: initially in 2019 due to his attempts to coerce Ukraine into investigating ex-President Joe Biden; later, following the Capitol riot post-his defeat in the 2020 presidential race.
According to individuals who understand his mindset, Trump is specifically intent on steering clear of a second impeachment and ensuring he retains power for the remainder of his second term.
I’m planning to be highly involved,” Trump stated regarding his strategies for the midterm elections during a recent ” Meet the Press” interview. He mentioned that he has “secured substantial funds for congressmen and senators whom I believe are truly excellent individuals.
Trump and his aides are aware that the party in power typically loses seats in the midterms. But they hope that by ramping up spending before Democrats, they can break that trend.
“We’re not going to allow that to become a self-fulfilling prophecy,” Trump stated during the yearly National Republican Congressional Committee President’s Dinner last month.
He is likewise employing formal mechanisms of authority against Democrats before the midterm elections, including through such means
executive order
calling for urgent reforms in election procedures. He
ordered the Justice Department
To explore ActBlue, the fundraising platform that has significantly boosted Democratic campaigns.
Will he follow through?
We’ll have to wait and see just how much Trump ends up spending on supporting other candidates. Historically, the president has tended to use his financial resources sparingly, opting rather to leverage his influence through strategic endorsements and high-energy rally events aimed at exciting the GOP faithful.
In 2022, as Trump geared up for another presidential campaign, Republicans frequently complained that he was amassing funds for personal use rather than investing more in candidates he had supported.
In the end,
MAGA Inc. expended $19 million during the 2022 midterm elections.
, largely targeting Democrats, with $3.4 million aimed at then-Pennsylvania candidate John Fetterman, $3 million against Arizona’s Mark Kelly, and another $3.4 million opposed to Georgia’s Raphael Warnock. Despite these efforts, all three Democratic candidates—Fetterman, Kelly, and Warnock—emerged victorious in their respective Senate contests against nominees favored by Trump.
The amount was significantly overshadowed by the $260 million expended by the Congressional Leadership Fund and the $290 million spent by the Senate Leadership Fund, which are the campaigning wings of House and Senate Republicans respectively.
On this occasion, though, someone close to his operations mentioned that they wouldn’t be shocked if Trump’s organizations ultimately spend more than anticipated. Supporters who believe Trump might be more forthcoming suggest that since he often talks about potentially running again despite the constitutional prohibition against a third term via the 22nd Amendment, he may have few other uses for the money.
Others are more skeptical.
For example, at the National Republican Senate Committee, staff has stressed to current officeholders that they should develop their own independent organizations, complete with adequate personnel and resources, ensuring they do not depend on the president or external entities for support.
I’d be surprised if that alters,” stated Short, who previously served as an aide to both Trump and Pence. “I don’t believe anyone is under the impression that they might receive a share of it.
___
Megerian provided the report from Washington. Associated Press writer Zeke Miller also contributed to this report.
Jill Colvin and Chris Megerian from The Associated Press