Trump Campaign Raises Over $45 Million in Third Quarter Despite Indictments

President Donald Trump gestures after delivering remarks at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in Bedminster, N.J., on June 13, 2023. Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images

The Trump campaign announced raising over $45 million in the third quarter, which is surprisingly good considering that fundraising campaigns usually experience a lag during this time and the fact that the former president faces multiple indictments.

Out of the over $45.5 million raised in the recent quarter, President Trump has more than $37.5 million “cash on hand,” the campaign said in an Oct. 5 post on X. “In an impressive testament to the overwhelming grassroots support behind President Trump that will lead to dominating victories, close to $36 million of the total cash on hand is designated for the primary.” The campaign’s successful fundraising came during the three months of July, August, and September, when he faced multiple lawsuits.

President Trump was indicted in Washingto, charged with four counts, including a conspiracy to “impair, obstruct, and defeat” the collection and counting of electoral votes. He was indicted in Georgia for alleged efforts to overturn the results of the election. President Trump also faced charges related to his retention of classified government documents.

“The Q3 numbers are even more impressive considering the Summer months are usually when most campaigns experience lagging fundraising support. President Trump and his campaign have completely shattered that notion,” the Trump campaign stated.

The Trump campaign also took a dig at GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. It pointed out that the DeSantis campaign has admitted to only having $5 million cash on hand for the primary election. This is not even one-seventh of the $37.5 million that the Trump campaign has on hand.

The DeSantis campaign recently said that they had raised $15 million for the third quarter, claiming that the Florida governor “shattered expectations.”

“This significant fundraising haul not only provides us with the resources we need in the fight for Iowa and beyond, but it also shuts down the doubters who counted out Ron DeSantis for far too long,” said James Uthmeier, the manager for the DeSantis campaign.

The DeSantis campaign’s low cash on hand is a “grave indication that Ron’s candidacy may not live to see the Iowa caucuses in January, or even, the end of this month,” the Trump campaign said.

“While DeSanctus’ fundraising, like its poll numbers, has seen an exponential drop even from July, President Trump outraised his impressive $35 million haul in Q2 (which doubled Q1 fundraising) by more than $10 million,” it said.

According to data from opinion poll analysis firm FiveThirtyEight, between July 1 and Oct. 1, support for Mr. DeSantis for the Republican 2024 primaries dropped from 23.4 to 14.1 percent. During this period, support for President Trump rose from 51.8 to 54.8 percent.

Other GOP candidates have not yet announced their fundraising totals for the third quarter. President Joe Biden has also not announced his Q3 fundraising. In Q2, President Biden’s campaign had raised over $72 million compared to President Trump’s $35 million.

Trump Disqualification, Debates

President Trump’s successful fundraising comes as he faces not only multiple indictments but also attempts to disqualify him from running in the 2024 presidential race.

Last month, a New Jersey man filed a lawsuit at the New Jersey Superior Court, seeking to keep the former president off the state’s election ballots next year.

This month, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal to block President Trump from New Hampshire’s ballots in 2024.

President Donald Trump speaks to the media during the third day of his civil fraud trial in New York, on Oct.4, 2023. Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images

The appeal was filed by John Anthony Castro, a Texas lawyer who is running for president. He argued that President Trump is disqualified under the 14th Amendment to run for president for his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach.

A federal judge had dismissed Mr. Castro’s lawsuit back in June, finding he could not show legal injury.

In Denver, the liberal group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics filed a lawsuit seeking President Trump’s disqualification. The lawsuit also used the former president’s alleged ties to the Jan. 6 incident to justify the disqualification.

Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has called on the Republican National Committee (RNC) to “immediately cancel” the Nov. 8 GOP debate in Miami and all future debates so as to “refocus its manpower and money on preventing Democrats’ efforts to steal the 2024 election,” according to a statement from campaign senior advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita.

“Anything less, along with other reasons not to cancel, are an admission to the grassroots that their concerns about voter integrity are not taken seriously, and national Republicans are more concerned about helping Joe Biden than ensuring a safe and secure election,” the statement said.

In the recently concluded second GOP debate, multiple Republican presidential hopefuls criticized President Trump for not participating in the discussions. President Trump said he skipped the events because of the large lead he enjoys in polls.

However, the former president’s campaign official has indicated that he intends to debate with President Biden. “Dont worry @JoeBiden … you will get your chance to Debate @realDonaldTrump … counting down the days,” Trump campaign official Mr. LaCivita said in a Sept. 28 post on X.

In an Oct. 5 post at Truth Social, President Trump highlighted the commanding lead he has over his opponents in polls.

“I am running for President, have a 62 Point lead over Republicans, and am up on Crooked Joe Biden, despite the Democrat Party’s massive Law-fare, Weaponization, and Election Interference efforts, by 4 to 11 Points,” he said.