Biden Raises $30 Million at Hollywood Fundraiser

President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event with former President Barack Obama at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on June 15, 2024. (Alex BrandonAP Photo)

President Joe Biden raked in $30 million during a fundraising event in Los Angeles on June 15 that was headlined by Hollywood stars and former President Barack Obama, according to his campaign.

Actors George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Barbara Streisand were among those who took the stage at the Peacock Theater event. Singers Sherry Lee Ralph and Jack Black also performed.

During the event, President Biden and former President Obama were interviewed by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who questioned the two about former President Donald Trump, who holds a lead in recent swing-state polls.

Mr. Kimmel opened his remarks with a strong expression of support for President Biden, saying “So much is at stake in this election.” He cited abortion, health care, and election laws as being among the top issues in 2024.

During questioning by Mr. Kimmel, President Biden encouraged voters to “remember what it was like” when former President Trump was in the Oval Office.

President Biden again praised his administration’s economic policy, saying it “is working.”

“We have the strongest economy in the world today,” President Biden said.

Recent polling has shown that the economy and cost of living continue to be a key issue for voters. A May survey by The New York Times, Siena College, and the Philadelphia Inquirer found that more than 50 percent of voters in five battleground states rated the economy as “poor,” amid signs of cooling inflation and a halt to interest rate increases.

Former President Obama likewise expressed admiration for President Biden’s economy and track record as president, citing the environment-, infrastructure-, and technology-related legislation that has been approved under the current president.

Former President Obama also cited the Supreme Court, suggesting that conservatives could expand their 6–3 majority should former President Trump win reelection.

“Hopefully, we have learned our lesson, because these elections matter in very concrete ways,” the 44th president said.

President Biden said that the next president could be in charge of nominating as many as two new justices to the high court.

The Supreme Court has “never been this far out of step,” President Biden said, citing the composition of the Supreme Court as “one of the scariest parts” of a potential second Trump presidency.

The president had flown through the night from the G7 summit in southern Italy to attend the event.

The $30 million raked in at the fundraiser smashed a previous record of $26 million raised during a March event in Manhattan with former Presidents Obama and Bill Clinton.

Last week, former President Trump also fundraised in deep-blue California, bringing in $12.5 million at a San Francisco fundraiser, then another $21.5 million at three other fundraisers in the region, for a total of $33.5 million.

The Biden campaign maintains a big cash advantage over former President Trump’s. In April, the president’s campaign retained about $84.5 million in cash on hand, compared with the Trump campaign’s $49 million, according to FEC filings.

Although FEC filings for May aren’t yet available, the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee reported that they raised $141 million last month, with more than a third of that raised in the 24 hours after the 45th president’s conviction in New York.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.