Despite a legal setback in a New York courtroom, former President Donald Trump experienced a financial windfall for his campaign. On May 30, Trump was found guilty on all 34 charges in a hush money case, marking a historic moment as the first former U.S. president to be convicted in a criminal trial. While Trump decried the verdict as unfair in front of the cameras, his campaign swiftly turned the outcome to their advantage, raising substantial funds.
Minutes after the jury’s decision, fundraising appeals were launched, including one headline stating, “I am a political prisoner!” The rush of donations was so overwhelming that the campaign’s donation website reportedly crashed for about an hour.
Throughout the trial, Trump’s campaign consistently solicited financial contributions, a strategy that paid off particularly well during the trial’s final phase. In May alone, Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee reported receiving $141 million in small donations. The campaign team noted that more than two million individual donations were received, with an average donation of $70.27. Notably, nearly 38 percent of these donations were made within 24 hours of the verdict.
Trump expressed his enthusiasm for the fundraising success on his platform, Truth Social, calling the verdict an “unjust decision that has outraged and motivated Americans from all walks of life.”
The guilty verdict comes just five months before the U.S. presidential election, adding a dramatic twist to the campaign trail. Trump, 77, was found guilty on all counts in the hush money case, with sentencing scheduled for July 11. He criticized the trial as “very unfair” and attempted to undermine confidence in the judicial system, stating, “If they can do this to me, they can do it to anyone,” and declaring his intent to appeal.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden’s campaign has yet to release their May fundraising figures, with the deadline still pending. It is anticipated that Biden might also see a financial boost from the controversy surrounding Trump, though likely not to the same extent. Biden has frequently referred to Trump as a “convicted criminal” and highlighted the risks of a potential second term for Trump.
In April, Biden’s campaign reported a significant decline in donations, dropping from $90 million in the previous month to $51 million, falling short of Trump’s campaign, which claimed to have raised over $76 million in April. With the November 5 election approaching, both campaigns are entering a critical phase, relying heavily on well-funded campaign coffers.
