Donald Trump (77) apparently can rally his supporters: the former US president has been blamed as soon as the campaign cash register rings. Fans must now donate between $24 and 1,000 (22 to 916 euros) to fight the “witch hunt of the corrupt Joe Biden government,” as he described the judicial process.
“America needs you right now. Trump wrote to his supporters, Biden Justice Department wants to keep me locked up for life. He also makes good use of the charges for his pole numbers. In the spring, Trump gained nine percentage points.
The strategy paid off: When the former president was accused of secretly paying for porn actress Stormy Daniels in March, four million dollars in donations poured into campaign coffers within a day. After a lawsuit in June over the possession of secret documents, it rose again to millions of dollars (3.7 million euros). The right wing and conservative base in particular is supporting Trump. Jim Wood of New Hampshire said, “If he goes to jail, I’ll send him money too.” In the last few months, he has donated a total of $400.
However, the money practically gets lost along the way, as court cases are expensive. “Trump has spent a large portion of his donations on legal fees,” says Larry Sabato, a politics professor at the University of Virginia. “His legal fees are skyrocketing.” So there is a growing shortage of funds for election advertising and campaign programmes, especially as the first trial begins. Sabato estimates, “expenses will continue to increase over the next few months.”
