Former President Donald Trump is seeking support from Silicon Valley and former donors of Ron DeSantis to bolster his campaign finances and narrow the fundraising gap with President Joe Biden. Venture capitalists David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya are reportedly in discussions with the Trump campaign to host a fundraiser at Sacks' San Francisco residence in June. The event may also include a podcast taping with the duo.
Sacks, a co-founder of Craft Ventures, previously supported DeSantis' presidential bid before the Florida governor withdrew from the race. Additionally, Palmer Luckey, the founder of Oculus VR, is set to host a fundraiser for Trump in Newport Beach, California.
DeSantis, once considered a top conservative alternative to Trump, attracted support from wealthy Republican donors hesitant to back the former president. However, Trump's enduring popularity within the GOP base and his appeal to key oil and gas executives have swayed donor sentiment in his favor.
Trump's outreach to prominent Silicon Valley donors mirrors Biden's longstanding support from tech luminaries in the region. Biden recently attended fundraising events hosted by Marissa Mayer and Vinod Khosla during a visit to California.
As the campaign season intensifies, Biden maintains a significant financial advantage over Trump. The Biden campaign closed March with $85.5 million in cash reserves, having raised $43.8 million in that month alone. In contrast, the Trump campaign raised $15.3 million in March, ending the month with $44.6 million on hand.
Despite the fundraising disparity, the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee announced a combined fundraising total of over $76 million for the former president in April. Biden's campaign, which has already established campaign offices in key battleground states, has yet to disclose its April fundraising figures.
