Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is using his hush money trial to squeeze his loyal army of small donors and personally lobby major backers as he scrambles to reduce a major fundraising disadvantage with Democratic President Joe Biden.
His campaign has been firing off daily, dramatically worded fundraising appeals to small donors – who rallied to support him when he was first charged in the case last year – since the trial in New York began with jury selection on Monday.
“I could be locked up for life,” one email read this week. “I should be campaigning across America and fighting for our country. But instead, I’m stuck in Biden’s corrupt court AGAIN,” read another, although Trump is being tried in New York state court by the Manhattan district attorney and not by the Biden administration.
He faces up to four years in prison if convicted, although many of those who have been convicted of that crime in the past have faced punishments like probation and fines.
There are early warning signs that Trump’s small-donor base may be flagging, suggesting Trump may have to rely more heavily on major donors ahead of the Nov. 5 rematch against Biden.
The biggest fundraising group collecting money for his campaign – known as the Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee – reported on Monday that it raised $33.6 million in the first quarter from donors who gave $200 or less.
