President Trump is already making moves to run for president again in 2024. But it looks like the GOP’s biggest donors aren’t too keen on supporting his campaign this time around. In fact, many of them have already said they’re not willing to donate to his 2024 run. Here’s a look at why some of the party’s biggest megadonors are ditching Trump this time around.
The reason many GOP donors are snubbing Trump’s 2024 campaign has everything to do with his supposed involvement in the January 6th incident at the US Capitol. While Trump has denied any responsibility for the riot, telling supporters that they were “stealing our country” and urging them to “fight like h-ll,” many in the party believe that his rhetoric played a role in inciting the violence. It didn’t, but that’s what they think anyway. As a result, they’re not willing to support his candidacy this time around.
In addition, some donors are concerned about Trump’s ability to win in 2024. After all, he did lose the 2020 election by nearly 7 million votes (supposedly). And while Trump has said he would “100 percent” run again if he thought he could win, many in the GOP aren’t so sure he can deliver on that promise.
The New York Post reported,
Billionaire cosmetics heir Ronald Lauder “has no plans to support Trump,” his spokesman told The Post Wednesday.
Lauder, 78, contributed just under $100,000 to the Republican National Committee when it was backing the 76-year-old Trump’s reelection effort in 2019, according to the website OpenSecrets. He also donated $2,700 directly to Trump in November 2017, the maximum allowed at the time under federal law.
Lauder’s spokesman did not say whom he might back in 2024, but OpenSecrets also indicates that the billionaire gave $200,000 to DeSantis’ first gubernatorial campaign in 2018. Official Florida campaign finance records also show Lauder gave another $10,000 to the Friends of Ron DeSantis PAC in July of 2021.
Lauder’s rejection of the 45th president comes after two more New York-based billionaires, metal mogul Andy Sabin and private equity CEO Stephen Schwarzman, spoke out against Trump.
“I wouldn’t give him a f—ing nickel,” Sabin told The Post Wednesday, the day after Trump launched his third consecutive presidential campaign at Mar-a-Lago. “What I’m telling you is what most people I know think but are afraid to say … I don’t really give a s—. Trump does nothing to help my life. My businesses couldn’t be better without Trump.”
“He’s not a good person. He could be helpful but it’s all about him,” Sabin said of Trump. “It’s time for the party to move on, to the [Virginia Gov. Glenn] Youngkins and [Senator] Tim Scott, let them transform the party into what it should be.”
People give me flack because I say that support is waning, but I’m confident in my assertion. I know that he still has support out there and a lot of it. All I’m saying is that there are definitely signs that he’s not going to do as well this go around as he did in 2020. If I’m wrong about that, then I’ll own up to it, but I’m just calling it like I see it.
It’s still super early in the 2024 presidential race, but already it looks like President Trump may have a hard time winning over some of the GOP’s biggest megadonors. Only time will tell if Trump can win them over—but it looks like he’ll have an uphill battle ahead of him.