New filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Thursday night revealed significant contributions from wealthy donors to the pro-Trump effort as the presidential campaign entered October. The largest pro-Trump super PAC, MAGA Inc., reported receiving $9.8 million during the first 16 days of the month, with notable names among its leading donors.
Woody Johnson, co-owner of the New York Jets and former ambassador to the United Kingdom, contributed $1 million on October 8. Billionaire investment banker Warren Stephens donated $1 million on October 11. Jan Koum, co-founder of WhatsApp, provided $5 million in Meta stock to MAGA Inc. on October 10, having previously given $10 million to a super PAC supporting Nikki Haley.
Another major pro-Trump super PAC, Restoration PAC, disclosed receiving $6.5 million from its largest donor, Midwestern shipping and packaging billionaire Dick Uihlein, on October 7. Both groups have played significant roles in the pro-Trump effort, investing tens of millions of dollars in advertising campaigns targeting key battleground states. Restoration PAC has also focused on specific congressional races, including the Senate race in Uihlein's home state of Wisconsin.
Combined, the two super PACs spent nearly $68 million during the 16-day pre-general reporting period, depleting their resources as the 2024 campaign entered its final phase.