Scoop: Trump to keep fundraising, hoping to retain political muscle
· axios.com · popularity 33/100 · 0 similar stories today · Politics & Government (Politics & Government)
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Summary
President Trump has told advisers that he plans to keep raising money for his political operation — a move aimed at salvaging his clout after the GOP's midterm debacle. Why it matters: Maintaining a political organization — either his existing MAGA Inc. super PAC or one to be created — would give Trump a vehicle to try to influence elections in 2028 and beyond, including the next presidential contest. It also would give Trump a way to pressure GOP lawmakers who consider breaking with him as the unpopular president enters his lame-duck era and Democrats prepare congressional investigations into his administration. Trump's MAGA Inc. enforced party discipline during the 2026 primary campaigns when it helped defeat Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie (R), an outspoken Trump critic. Zoom in: MAGA Inc. has been the centerpiece of Trump's political operation during his second term, raising nearly $450 million since the beginning of 2025. The group received massive checks from cryptocurrency and AI industry donors, along with Republican megadonors such as Elon Musk and Miriam Adelson. Trump has hosted high-dollar fundraising dinners at Mar-a-Lago and his golf club in Sterling, Va., drawing business leaders eager to curry favor with the president. Some donors subsequently benefited from administration decisions. The New York Times reported that a medical products company whose executives and affiliates gave $5 million to MAGA Inc. benefited from an administration decision to delay Medicare reimbursement restrictions, for example. By the numbers: MAGA Inc. spent more than $400 million on the midterms, making it one of the election's biggest spending forces, according to a source familiar with the totals. The massive investment failed to prevent Republicans from losing control of Congress amid voter anger over Trump's war on Iran, high prices and corruption concerns. As of Oct. 14, MAGA Inc. had more than $164 million in the bank, though it spent tens of millions more on TV and digital advertising in the campaign's final weeks so it's unclear how much remains. The group invested aggressively in traditionally safe GOP seats that had become competitive, helping some Republicans survive, according to party operatives. Yes, but: Raising money could become much harder with Democrats controlling Congress and major donors beginning to look turning their attention toward 2028. Republicans say Trump's diminished political clout will make it harder to attract the enormous checks that have flowed into MAGA Inc. The prospect of congressional investigations into alleged pay-for-play arrangements involving donors to Trump's political operation could further discourage contributions. Technology executives who contributed heavily to the group may increasingly turn to Democrats, while major Republican donors shift their attention to prospective 2028 presidential candidates. What they're saying: A MAGA Inc. spokesperson declined to comment. White House spokespeople didn't respond to a request for comment.
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