Donald Trump will host a host of potential vice presidential candidates at a Republican event in Florida this weekend, giving him a chance to watch his potential running mates in action while using them to attract donors.
The Republican presidential candidate will host a two-day retreat Friday and Saturday in Palm Beach that is expected to attract more than 400 donors and high-profile political figures.
The event will help shore up Mr. Trump’s faltering finances, which have been drained by legal costs, and could be a way to reassure donors about the state of the campaign, as Mr. Trump currently spends the most clear of his time in a Manhattan courtroom as part of his criminal trial over the payment of a hush sum of money to porn star Stormy Daniels.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio, Tim Scott and JD Vance, and U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik are expected to attend, according to a copy of the retirement program consulted by the Reuters agency.
Burgum and Scott competed against Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination before dropping out. Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Mike Johnson will also address guests.
“Mr. Trump skillfully uses his vice presidential nominees as a bonus at these events,” said Ford O’Connell, a Republican operative in Florida. “He’s using it to raise money and change the news cycle.
Mr Trump will face Democratic President Joe Biden in the November 5 general election.
Attendees will be briefed on the state of the race by Mr. Trump’s campaign managers, Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, as well as his pollster, Tony Fabrizio. They will also attend a briefing on “election integrity.”
Most of the event will take place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Palm Beach, while Mr. Trump will host a fundraising luncheon at his Mar-a-Lago property on Saturday.
According to the invitation, the retreat is only open to individuals who have raised $25,000 for Trump or couples who have raised $100,000.
According to his advisers, Mr. Trump is in no rush to choose a running mate. He will not be officially nominated until the Republican convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July.
Some of Mr. Trump’s advisers believe that Ms. Noem’s standing has fallen in Mr. Trump’s eyes since she revealed in her new memoir that she put down a 14-month-old dog because it was disobedient.
Mr. Trump’s “Save America” committee has paid more than $59 million in legal fees since the start of 2023, diverting resources that could be used for television ads and other security-related needs. campaign.
In addition to the bribery trial, which is expected to last until the end of the month, Mr. Trump faces federal and state charges relating to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, as well as federal prosecution over his mishandling of classified documents. It is not yet known whether any of these three cases will be tried before the election.
Mr. Biden has always been a step ahead when it comes to fundraising. His campaign said it had about $85 million in the bank at the end of March, compared to Mr. Trump’s $45 million.
Mr Trump is also due to hold a high-profile fundraiser in New York on May 14.
