The Trump campaign wants GOP candidates and groups to give a percentage of their donations from messages that feature the former president's name or likeness, a move meant to safeguard small donors from deceptive messages.
Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, co-chairs of the Trump campaign, sent a letter to GOP vendors on April 15 requesting that candidates and committees who use Trump's name, image, or likeness in their fundraising efforts donate at least 5 percent of the resulting funds to his joint fundraising committee.
The letter also mentioned that giving more than 5 percent would be viewed positively by Trump and the Republican National Committee (RNC), and they encouraged considering a higher percentage.
LaCivita and Wiles also provided guidelines for vendors on avoiding language that may suggest they are officially representing the Trump campaign.
The letter also stated that vendors would be held accountable for their clients' actions if they failed to follow the guidelines, with repeated violations potentially leading to business relationships being suspended.
The letter was sent by LaCivita and Wiles. first reported by Politico.
The request for a cut of candidates’ fundraising comes as Trump and his campaign have lagged behind President Biden in terms of fundraising for the 2024 election.
But a campaign spokesperson said the intent of the letter was to deter candidates and committees who might misleadingly use Trump’s name and image to attract donors.
A campaign spokesperson, Danielle Alvarez, stated, “President Trump has a distinct and iconic brand that is tremendously popular with the American people. When political campaigns and vendors use it in an unauthorized or unapproved way, it is important to protect small dollar donors who are giving their hard earned money while Bidenflation crushes them and believe they are giving to President Trump’s campaign to save this nation.”
The Biden campaign raised $90 million in March and entered April with $192 million in cash on hand, which it said was a record for any Democratic candidate at this point in the election cycle. As of the end of March, 1.6 million people have donated to the campaign, officials said.
Meanwhile, Trump has raised approximately $66 million in March and entered April with a combined $93.1 million in cash on hand for the Trump campaign and the RNC.
Trump has also spent millions of dollars in campaign cash on legal fees as he faces multiple criminal indictments.
Trump has tried to close the money gap in recent weeks by holding high-dollar fundraisers, including one hosted by hedge fund billionaire John Paulson in Palm Beach, Fla., that brought in raised roughly $50 million.
