Trump’s Fundraising Fatigue

The small-dollar fundraising drought is especially problematic for Trump, who can no longer rely on Republican mega-donors to fill the gaps.
The small-dollar fundraising drought is especially problematic for Trump, who can no longer rely on Republican mega-donors to fill the gaps. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Tara Palmeri
March 23, 2023

The $1.5 million that Donald Trump has allegedly raised off his looming indictment appears to be causing some agitation within the former president’s orbit, likely because, as insiders will agree, $1.5 million isn’t actually a huge sum compared to his past scandal-adjacent fundraising blitzes. After the F.B.I. raid at Mar-a-Lago, for instance, Trump raised $2 million in two days, per The Washington Post. He also raised $40 million in the first quarter of 2021, post-Jan. 6. But his best fundraising days may be behind him, such as when he raised $11.5 million on the day the Access Hollywood tape emerged. Simply put, indictment or no indictment, the grassroots supporters simply aren’t opening their checkbook the way they used to.