Michelle ThompsonThe Trump campaign has issued a request for Republican candidates and committees utilizing the former president’s name and image in fundraising to allocate at least 5% of their proceeds to the campaign, as outlined in a letter obtained by CNN.
Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, Trump’s campaign managers, emphasized in the April 15 letter that starting immediately, any entity using President Trump’s likeness should share a minimum of 5% of their fundraising with the Trump National Committee JFC. They noted that contributions exceeding 5% would be viewed positively by both the Republican National Committee (RNC) and Trump’s campaign, with reports of such actions reaching top leadership levels within both organizations.
This initiative coincides with Trump’s intensified fundraising efforts as he endeavors to match President Joe Biden’s formidable financial apparatus. Notably, the letter was dated on the onset of Trump’s New York criminal trial regarding hush money, which limits his ability to engage in fundraising and campaigning activities.
Additionally, the letter provided guidelines for Republican entities utilizing Trump’s name and likeness in fundraising, urging them to refrain from speaking on behalf of Trump, establishing unauthorized memberships or clubs, impersonating the former president or his campaign, and mentioning Trump’s family without their or the campaign’s consent.
Trump campaign spokesperson Danielle Alvarez emphasized the importance of safeguarding small-dollar donors from fraudulent exploitation of the president’s name and likeness.
Trump has been vigilant in protecting his brand and name, having previously issued cease-and-desist letters to the RNC and its congressional fundraising branches in 2021 to halt unauthorized use of his identity in fundraising appeals. Following his designation as the party’s presumptive nominee, Trump has taken a more active role within the RNC, engaging in joint fundraising efforts with the national party.
