Former President Donald Trump’s campaign has reported a surge in donations following his recent legal troubles.
What Happened: Trump’s campaign announced that it had raised a staggering $52.8 million in the 24 hours following his guilty verdict in the hush-money case, reported Bloomberg. This sum is more than two-thirds of the $76 million he raised in April.
“That's more than $2 million an hour,” the campaign said in a statement on Friday night, adding that over a third of the donors were new.
Trump is the first president to be indicted and convicted of a criminal offense. The verdict, which found Trump guilty on all 34 counts of mishandling business records to cover up payments to an adult film actress, seems to have energized his supporters.
In his fundraising appeals over texts and emails, Trump referred to himself as a political prisoner and stated that his conviction marked the darkest day in U.S. history. “I DID NOTHING WRONG!” one appeal stated. Another declared, “JUSTICE IS DEAD IN AMERICA!” and added, “I was just convicted in a RIGGED TRIAL meant to interfere in our elections.”
Trump also offered donors black caps with his “Make America Great Again” slogan and the words “Never Surrender” embroidered on the side for contributions of $47.
Why It Matters: Despite the guilty verdict, Trump’s legal troubles have proven to be a boon for his campaign. This is not the first time that his legal issues have led to a surge in donations. His campaign also reported raising $7.1 million after his arrest in Georgia over alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Meanwhile, after the verdict, President Joe Biden said that it shows that “no one is above the law.” However, despite this, Trump remains the favorite to be the next president, according to betting odds.
Trump’s legal troubles are also far from over. The Georgia case and two federal prosecutions are still ongoing, but likely won’t go to trial before November’s election.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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