Trump Raises $1 Million on First Day of Trial, Says RNC Co-chair

Republican National Committee co-Chair Lara Trump announced that Former President Donald Trump raised over $1 million in campaign contributions after the first day of his criminal trial in New York.

The criminal trial of Donald Trump entered its second day on Tuesday as lawyers worked on selecting 12 jurors to decide the guilt or innocence of the former president. Manhattan Democrat District Attorney Alvin Bragg has charged him with 34 felony counts related to a payment made before the 2016 election to an adult film actress to keep her from revealing an alleged affair.

Trump has denied the charges, claiming they are politically motivated. Lara Trump stated that Democrats’ persecution of him led to Americans donating money to his campaign.

She mentioned, “The people of America showed their support for Donald Trump by raising a million and a half dollars for his campaign. The average donation was $28, proving that even in the current economy, people are financially supporting the president” as reported by the Washington Examiner on Tuesday.

Filings to the Federal Election Commission showed that Trump’s fundraising increased in the first quarter of 2024, with the RNC earning millions from a new joint fundraising arrangement, according to Politico. The former president’s collaboration with the RNC through the Trump 47 Committee raised $23 million, with significant contributions from big donors.

Although Trump had previously relied on small online donors, big donors have started to contribute now that he is likely to be the GOP’s presidential nominee. Recent events indicate a surge in fundraising activities, with a fundraiser in Palm Beach, Florida, raising $50.5 million.

In addition to the joint fundraising committee, Trump also raised money through the Save America Joint Fundraising Committee and the Save America leadership PAC. Despite these efforts, his campaign acknowledged that they may not be able to match President Joe Biden’s fundraising numbers this year.

Reuters contributed to this story.