Donald Trump's presidential campaign reported raising $14.5 million during the first quarter of 2022, with contributions increasing sharply after he announced that he
was about to be criminally indicted. The filing to the Federal Election Commission shows that at least $2.7 million was raised from individual donors in the two weeks after March 18, when he made the announcement. However, the disclosure does not cover all of his political fundraising or reveal full details for online donors.
The disclosure also revealed that the campaign spent $3.5 million through March, with close to half going to campaign payroll and travel expenses. About $7,000 was spent at golf clubs and resorts owned by Trump in South Florida.
Trump has denied allegations of sexual encounters with the woman at the center of the investigation, and he calls the investigation a witch hunt by his political enemies. His indictment on March 30 made him the first former US president to face criminal charges, energizing his supporters and his campaign finances.
However, he has not secured the money race for the Republican nomination, and some experts suggest that his legal woes, including other potentially more serious investigations, could lead Republicans to consider other presidential candidates.
Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, expected to announce a presidential bid soon, reported having about $85 million in a political fundraising account at the end of March. To counter the perceived threat from DeSantis, Make America Great Again Inc Super PAC, which has received at least $60 million in funding from one of Trump's political committees, announced plans to spend $1.5 million on TV ads opposing DeSantis. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.