Cash-Strapped Trump Campaign Makes Sacrifices
Presidential candidate has avoided popular conservative agendas that would jeopardize campaign funding.
Erin Spellman
March 22, 2024
What’s happening: Disappointed conservatives notice GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump changing his tune on issues important to his base — and aligning with donors.
TikTok: Trump as president considered TikTok a national security threat and supported banning it. He recently reversed his stance after meeting with GOP donor Jeff Yass, who owns a 7 percent stake in TikTok's parent company, ByteDance.
Meanwhile: House Republicans overwhelmingly passed a bill last week that would force ByteDance to divest TikTok or face a permanent U.S. ban.
Bud Light: One of the most successful conservative boycotts in history came in the wake of Bud Light's partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Trump helped end the boycott ahead of a fundraiser hosted by a top lobbyist for parent company Anheuser-Busch.
Money troubles: Although Trump leads in polls, President Joe Biden leads in fundraising. Biden and Democrats amassed a historic $155 million war chest while Trump and Republicans raised less than $40 million by February.
Previously: Trump's 2016 and 2020 campaigns relied on grassroots support; now he faces a dramatic decline in small-dollar contributors. In 2023, Trump raised 62.5 percent less money from small-dollar donors than in 2019.
Why it matters: Campaign finance struggles and costly legal battles incentivize Trump to align with donors. His defense of TikTok and Bud Light raise suspicion that his views are for sale, and may cost him support among the MAGA base that helped elect him in 2016.
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