Decline in Donations for Trump: Frustration and Confusion Among Small Donors

The decline in financial support from small donors presents a serious challenge for Donald Trump. Contributions from donors giving less than $200 account for less than a third of his campaign donations – a significant decrease compared to his 2020 presidential campaign, when nearly half of his donations came from these supporters. Overall, Trump raised $98 million from small donors by June, representing a 40% decline compared to the $165 million during the same period of his previous presidential campaign. This decline forces Trump to rely more heavily on wealthier donors and groups backed by them, which could undermine his populist message. Additionally, Republicans are facing a hyper-aggressive digital fundraising strategy that increasingly alienates voters. The constant barrage of donation requests leads to frustration and confusion among supporters about where their contributions actually end up. Operatives and officials express that such aggressive fundraising tactics have a lasting impact on the willingness to donate. Many small donors feel overwhelmed by the flood of text messages and have accordingly reduced their financial contributions. In response, Trump's campaign has already taken measures to prevent the unauthorized use of his name and curb additional fundraising efforts. Yet despite the declining willingness to donate, many former donors still seem eager to support Trump politically. The financial burden from rising living costs is cited as the main reason why many voters cannot allocate additional funds for political donations.