WASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s campaign and his Republican allies raised more money than President Joe Biden in April, marking the first time the former president surpassed the Democratic incumbent in monthly fundraising during the 2024 campaign.
The Trump campaign, combined with the Republican National Committee, raised $76 million in April, significantly more than the $51 million raised by the Biden campaign, the Democratic National Committee and other joint fundraising arms, according to the campaigns and files filed with the Federal Reserve on Monday. Electoral Commission.
Trump has outraged Biden despite spending much of the April reporting period on trial in a New York courtroom. The campaign – as was widely expected – benefited from Trump becoming the presumptive Republican nominee, allowing the country to combine fundraising with the RNC.
More: Biden’s campaign raised $90 million in March. Trump’s war chest isn’t even close
Biden’s fundraising in April was well below the $90 million his campaign raised in March, including a lucrative fundraiser hosted by former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, and slightly less than the $53 million that Biden and his joint campaign committees raised in collected in February.
More: ‘A positive story to tell’: Obama and Clinton rip Trump, boost Biden with $26 million campaign fundraiser in New York
Trump’s April fundraising was significantly boosted by a fundraiser in Palm Beach, Florida, at the home of billionaire investor John Paulson, which raised a record $50.5 million, according to Reuters.
Still, Biden enjoys a significant cash advantage. The Biden campaign ended April with $84.5 million to spend and a combined war chest of $192 million when other fundraising committees are included. The Trump campaign reported having $49 million cash on hand.
For months, the Biden campaign has boasted about its fundraising advantage over Trump, who has been saddled with legal fees in multiple criminal and civil lawsuits. Fundraising and campaign organizing are areas where the Biden team claims to have the upper hand, while most polls show Biden trailing Trump in the election.
But in reverse, April’s numbers gave the Trump campaign ammunition to hit Biden.
“The only people in America who support Crooked Joe Biden are out-of-touch Hollywood billionaires, and it turns out even they are done giving to a failing campaign,” Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said, mentioning the fundraiser of Trump ‘particularly remarkable’. ” given his daily appearances in court.
Biden’s campaign ended April with slightly less in the bank than the $85 million at the start of the month, reflecting spending that has increased significantly over the past two months to pay for television advertising and expand staff. The Biden campaign reported spending $25.2 million in April, after spending $29.2 million in March. The Biden campaign spent $6 million in February.
Biden campaign spokesman Ammar Moussa emphasized Biden’s continued lead in a statement and accused Trump of “selling out Americans to big corporations and billionaires” to raise campaign funds.
In June, Biden will get help from Hollywood allies when actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts will host, along with Obama, a pricey fundraiser in Los Angeles, NBC News reported.
Reach Joey Garrison at X, formerly Twitter, @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump surpasses Biden in monthly fundraising for first time of 2024 race
