Trump campaign raises $15.4 million after indictment

Donald Trump has raised $15.4 million in the days since his unprecedented indictment by a Manhattan prosecutor, his campaign said, thanks to a surge of support from small-dollar donors.

Almost 98% of the donations since the indictment on March 30 came from donors who gave less than $200, and 24% came from first-time contributors to Trump, who has raised money continuously since first becoming a candidate in 2015. His average donation over the period was less than $50.

The surge follows a disappointing start to Trump’s fundraising. He raised a total of $18.8 million in the first quarter, including $4 million that came the day after a grand jury voted to indict the former president on March 30. That was less than the $20.4 million he raised in the fourth quarter of 2022, which included $9.5 million after he announced his third run for the White House on Nov. 15.

The 34 charges brought against Trump by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg were unsealed when the former president was arraigned on April 4. They relate to alleged improper payments, including to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, made during his first White House run. Trump pleaded not guilty.

The indictment, the first in history of a former president, fired up Trump’s donor base. Before it was announced, he sought to raise money off speculation, some fueled by his own posts on Truth Social, that Bragg would bring charges against him. He announced his arrest was imminent on March 18, and sent frequent fundraising pitches thereafter citing the unfairness of the prosecution, referring to it as the “Manhattan witch hunt.”

Trump’s campaign, which raises money through a joint fundraising committee that also benefits his leadership PAC, received $14.1 million from it and entered April with $13.9 million cash on hand, according to figures it released ahead of disclosing those totals to the Federal Election Commission. The totals were first reported by Politico.

In separate documents released Friday, Trump said his business is valued at a minimum of $1.2 billion.

Trump’s first-quarter haul puts him ahead of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, whose campaign announced on April 5 it had raised more than $11 million in the six weeks since she launched her campaign on Feb. 15. She had $7 million in the bank.

Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign took in $11.4 million, including $10.5 million from the candidate. The biotech entrepreneur who’s also running for the GOP presidential nomination and is running television ads in early primary states ended March with $9.4 million cash on hand.

Campaigns are due to file their quarterly reports with the FEC on Saturday.

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(With assistance from Mark Niquette.)

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