President Donald Trump's reelection campaign is set to report that it raised more than USD 30 million in the first quarter of 2019, edging out his top two Democratic rivals combined, according to figures it provided to The Associated Press.
The haul brings the campaign's cash on hand to USD 40.8 million, an unprecedented war chest for an incumbent president this early in a campaign.
The Trump campaign said nearly 99 per cent of its donations were of USD 200 or less, with an average donation of USD 34.26.
Trump's fundraising ability was matched by the Republican National Committee, which brought in USD 45.8 million in the first quarter its best non-election year total.
Combined, the pro-Trump effort is reporting USD 82 million in the bank, with USD 40.8 million belonging to the campaign alone.
Trump formally launched his reelection effort just hours after taking office in 2017, earlier than any incumbent has in prior years. By contrast, former President Barack Obama launched his 2012 effort in April 2011 and had under USD 2 million on hand at this point in the campaign.
Obama went on to raise more than USD 720 million for his reelection. Trump's reelection effort has set a USD 1 billion target for 2020.
Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale said in a statement that Trump "is in a vastly stronger position at this point than any previous incumbent president running for re-election, and only continues to build momentum."
Trump's fundraising with the RNC is divided between two entities: Trump Victory, the joint account used for high-dollar gifts, and the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, the low-dollar digital fundraising operation known internally as "T-Magic."
In 2015, Trump swore off outside money, declaring in his opening speech: "I'm using my own money. I'm not using the lobbyists'. I'm not using donors'. I don't care. I'm really rich."
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