WASHINGTON — As former President Donald Trump prepares to make his first appearance in front of a group of the GOP’s top donors since leaving office, some Republican officials and fundraisers fear that his own political group will cannibalize a significant portion of the party’s financial base heading into a critical midterm election cycle.
Over the course of two campaigns, Trump built up a loyal army of small-dollar donors, whom the former president is now encouraging to contribute to the political action committee he formed shortly after his 2020 election defeat, as he seeks to reestablish himself as the leader of the Republican Party and potentially set himself up for another White House run.
While Republicans are pleased that Trump agreed to speak at the Republican National Committee’s spring donor retreat this weekend — partly taking place at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida — some are wary the former president will ultimately do the party’s fundraising efforts more harm than good as they try to take control of the U.S. House and Senate in the next election.
