Recent filings indicate that while former President Donald Trump’s campaign saw a rise in donations in February, it fell short of the fundraising momentum set by President Joe Biden. Biden’s campaign continues to expand its significant financial lead as it moves into the general election phase.
Trump’s Legal Troubles Continue to Drain Resources
These filings also highlight the ongoing financial burden of Trump’s legal issues. Legal expenses alone surpassed the funds raised by Trump’s leadership PAC in February. Simultaneously, Robert Kennedy Jr., facing increasing scrutiny from Democrats for his independent presidential bid, is incurring significant expenses as a supportive super PAC invests heavily to increase his visibility and ballot access.
Key Insights from February’s Campaign Filings
Biden’s Fundraising Dominance
The new filings, which only represent a fraction of the committees associated with each presidential candidate, continue to demonstrate Biden’s early fundraising dominance. Biden ended February with $71 million in available cash in his primary campaign account, more than double the $33.5 million held by Trump’s campaign.
Democratic National Committee’s Financial Edge
The Democratic National Committee ended February with over twice the cash on hand as its Republican counterpart, reinforcing Democrats’ financial advantage. Trump is now focusing on building a political operation with the national GOP as he becomes the party’s presumptive nominee.
Trump’s Campaign Fundraising Crunch
Trump’s campaign and joint fundraising committee together raised $20.3 million in February, trailing far behind the $53 million raised by Biden and Democrats. In response to this fundraising crunch, Trump has taken a more proactive approach with donors, including hosting meetings at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.
Trump’s Leadership PAC’s Legal Bills
Wednesday’s filings also highlight the financial strain of Trump’s ongoing legal issues. The Save America leadership PAC, which Trump has used to help cover legal fees for him and his allies, spent nearly $5.6 million on legal bills in February. These expenses exceeded the PAC’s total receipts, most of which came from a $5 million refund from a Trump-aligned super PAC, MAGA Inc.
Robert Kennedy Jr.’s Campaign Spending
A super PAC aligned with Kennedy increased its spending in February, investing heavily in advertising and ballot-access efforts. American Values 2024, the leading super PAC supporting Kennedy’s campaign, reported spending nearly $8.8 million last month, a significant increase from the $1.4 million spent in January.
Donations to Trump’s Super PAC
MAGA Inc., the Trump-aligned super PAC, received $12.7 million in February, boosted by a $5 million contribution from Nevada-based hotelier and space entrepreneur Robert Bigelow. Bigelow is among several wealthy Republican donors expected to attend a high-dollar fundraiser next month to benefit Trump and the Republican Party.