(Washington) Donald Trump’s campaign team announced Friday that it had raised more than US$50 million in online donations in the 24 hours since his criminal conviction, stressing that the verdict had galvanized his support “like never before” .
Posted at 8:16 p.m.
“That’s more than $2 million per hour,” his campaign team said in a statement.
“Within minutes of the verdict being announced, our digital fundraising system was overwhelmed by support, and, despite temporary delays related to online attendance, President Trump raised $34.8 million through small are,” campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said in a statement Friday morning.
As of Friday evening, the figure jumped to $52.8 million, a staggering sum.
The morning’s figure alone represents almost double the best fundraising day for the campaign on WinRed, the Republican Party’s official donation platform.
And 30% of these donations were made by new donors.
“Joe the crook and the Democrats, with their witch hunt, have awakened the MAGA movement (Make America Great Again, Donald Trump’s slogan, Editor’s note) like never before,” greeted the campaign advisers again.
Donald Trump was found guilty Thursday in New York of all the charges against him in a criminal trial, the first of a former American president, for having falsified documents in order to hide payments intended for buy the silence of a former adult film star.
Judge Juan Merchan set sentencing for July 11.
Donald Trump has a habit of turning scandals to his advantage. Moments after his guilt was announced, his campaign website began redirecting visitors to a fundraising page declaring that he was a “political prisoner.”
The page remained blocked for almost an hour due to heavy traffic.
On Friday, Donald Trump denounced a “very unfair” and rigged trial, and announced that he would “appeal this scam”.
The Republican candidate regularly describes his legal setbacks as a battle against the forces of evil that are the “deep state” – a nebulous entity which according to followers of conspiracy theories acts behind the scenes of the government – and the Biden administration.
The Republican likes to portray himself as a martyr to the cause, ready to sacrifice his freedom for the good of his supporters.
In April, he made the link between his situation and that of Nelson Mandela, the South African anti-apartheid activist who remained imprisoned for 27 years.
