PALM BEACH, Fla.—The Republican National Committee (RNC) and the 2024 Trump Campaign announced that the 45th President of the United States and presumptive GOP presidential nominee, Donald J Trump, will raise over $50.5 million at a single fundraiser in Palm Beach, Florida, held on Saturday, April 6.
“The success of tonight’s event is proving what we already know: Americans are fed up with Biden’s record of failure, from the open southern border and sky-high inflation to the migrant crime crisis that has made everyone less safe,” said RNC Chairman Michael Whatley and Co-Chairman Lara Trump. “The Republican Party is united behind the effort to elect President Donald J Trump, and Americans are lining up to join our movement and retire Crooked Joe Biden once and for all.”
Saturday event outperformed “every fundraising record in history for a Republican or Democrat,” according to the press release. Just days earlier, Axios reported that the event was on track to raise $43 million, eclipsing the celebrity-studded Radio City Music Hall fundraiser for President Joe Biden that also featured former presidents and political rock stars Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
The three-president Democratic Party fundraiser on Thursday, March 28, raised $25 million. The event hosted by actress Mindy Kaling featured musical performers Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele. Ticket prices started at $225. However, the good perks started at $100,000 for a picture with all three Democratic presidents, $250,000 earned donors access to one reception, and donation of $500,000 was required for a more “exclusive” meet-and-greet.
President Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social stating that the success of Saturday’s event is a testament that Americans are “desperate for change.”
“Biggest night in Fund Raising of ALL TIME!!!Will double up the Biden number of last week at Radio City. People are desperate for change. They want to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” wrote Trump.
Earlier on March 28, the day of the Democratic presidential trio fundraiser, former President Trump attended the wake of New York City Police Officer Jonathan Diller, who was shot and killed in the line of duty. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a presser failed to answer reporters’ questions if President Biden spoke with the family of the slain officer. Biden did not attend the wake of Officer Diller.
President Biden had $155 million in cash on hand through the end of February, compared with $37 million for President Trump and his Save America political action committee, Associated Press reports. For the end of March, the DNC announced it raised a total of $90 million bringing its total cash on hand to $192 million. In contrast, the Trump campaign and the RNC announced earlier in March, prior to Saturday’s historic fundraiser, that it raised $65.6 million with $93.1 million cash on hand. In his 2016 presidential run, Trump defeated his Democratic challenger, Hillary Clinton, despite being outraised two-to-one, $600 million to Hillary’s $1.2 billion.
President Donald J. Trump at his record-shattering $50.5 million fundraiser: "People wanted to contribute to a cause of MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" pic.twitter.com/kOTQI0LPkl
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 7, 2024
“Tonight will be an incredible night for President Trump and the Republican Party, raising an astounding $50.5 million,” said Trump campaign senior advisors Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles. “Meanwhile, after locking up the nomination in one of the fastest primaries in modern political history, Donald J Trump is winning poll after poll and proving that the enthusiasm is on his side. It’s clearer than ever that we have the message, the operation, and the money to propel President Trump to victory on November 5.”
Since October 31, 2023, according to the Real Clear Politics battleground states—Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia— polling aggregate, Trump has been leading Biden with the latest margin as of April 3 of +1.1 points. Biden at this same time in 2020 led Trump by +6.1 points.
The numbers are even worse for incumbent President Biden with a 14.7 margin of unfavourability for his job approval, with 55.9% of Americans in the national aggregate polling disapproving of his handling of the economy, foreign policy, inflation crime, immigration, and Ukraine. In contrast, on April 7 four years ago, Trump was at 54.2%, with Obama and Bush for the same time during their presidencies at 51.7% and 51.4% respectively.
