Suckers:
The Washington Post identified at least 30 events held by GOP candidates or conservative groups at Trump properties through mid-December, more tallied than in any previous year
By Josh Dawseyand
David A. Fahrenthold
Today at 6:00 a.m. EST
As his guests sampled short ribs and chocolate cake at a Dec. 1 reception held in Mar-a-Lago’s gilded ballroom and others mingled at another event held by the pool, U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker of Georgia raised more than $1 million for his campaign and an allied super PAC.
The following evening, Donald Trump dined at his private Florida club with about 20 couples, each of whom paid $250,000 to the Make America Great Again Again super PAC, a group run by close allies of the former president.
Two days later, Turning Point USA, a conservative group for young Americans, held a sprawling event at Mar-a-Lago, where organizers said Trump’s presence was the key to attracting 750 guests.
Since Trump returned from his New Jersey club to Palm Beach, Fla., this fall, Mar-a-Lago has become a hotbed for Republican fundraisers, with candidates jockeying to line the former president’s pockets in hopes of winning his endorsement, get a photo with him or simply give donors a chance to be in his presence.
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The surge in business at his private club spotlights the unparalleled way in which Trump has personally profited from his presidency and his popularity in the GOP — a revenue stream that began during his time in the White House and has only strengthened since he left office. Rather than hosting fellow Republicans, Trump is charging them for the privilege of using his venues.
The Washington Post identified at least 30 events held by GOP candidates or conservative groups at Trump properties through mid-December, based on campaign finance records and social media posts. That’s more than The Post tallied in any previous year; in 2020, The Post counted 13 such fundraisers — most of them paid for by Trump’s own reelection campaign.
Trump’s properties have collected $463,000 in revenue from just nine of the 2021 gatherings that have been disclosed so far in federal campaign finance reports. That sum will grow substantially next month when federal political committees report their spending for the second half of the year.
The disclosures will also show that the total number of fundraisers held at Trump properties in 2021 is far greater than the 30 identified so far by The Post, according to club members and Trump advisers familiar with the events.
Many of the largest gatherings have happened in recent months, such as the Walker fundraiser, a “Spirit of Lincoln Gala” put on by the Log Cabin Republicans and the Turning Point gala, according to people familiar with the schedule. At times in recent weeks, advisers said, there have been several fundraisers in one evening.
The steady business indicates that even after the former president’s lies about the 2020 election, the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters and a polarizing presidency in which many charities and companies stopped patronizing his properties, Trump has held onto a durable base of political business, thanks to his strength inside the Republican Party.
Mar-a-Lago is a particularly popular venue with Trump-inspired candidates, those running for the first time and those competing in crowded Republican primaries, according to people familiar with the events who, like others interviewed for this report, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private gatherings.
Among those planning to hold fundraisers at the club are GOP Reps. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) and Jeff Van Drew (N.J.), according to Trump advisers. In a news release put out by her campaign, Stefanik said she was “honored” to kick off her reelection effort “with my friend President Trump at Mar-A-Lago.” An adviser for Van Drew confirmed an upcoming fundraiser but declined to comment.
Julian Zelizer, a presidential historian at Princeton University, said the rush of paid GOP events at Trump’s club is “indicative of how powerful of a hold he has on the party.”
Zelizer noted that while other former presidents have given paid speeches or taken seats on lucrative boards, they did not rent property to candidates while serving as GOP kingmaker and contemplating another White House run.
“It‘s like a party boss, with one of his homes being the place for wheeling and dealing and picking the next Senate candidate,” Zelizer said.
Taylor Budowich, a Trump spokesman, said the former president’s properties — including his Bedminster club in New Jersey — are sought after by those running for office on the right.
“When it comes to raising money for Republican causes and candidates, there are only two seasons that matter: Bedminster season and Mar-a-Lago season. Through the dozens of fundraisers that will be held at Mar-a-Lago this season, the Trump property and Trump brand will continue to fuel the MAGA wave ahead of the midterms,” he said.
The Trump Organization did not respond to a request for comment.
