Trump urges supporters to donate to Democrats, help in 'financial crisis'

Vice President Kamala Harris was the Democratic Party's presidential nominee for the elections held on November 5, who lost to Trump, shattered all fund-raising records

President-elect Donald Trump urged his supporters to donate to Democrats to help them overcome the "financial strain" in the aftermath of the general elections.

In a social media post, Trump expressed his surprise that the Democrats didn't have lots of dollars left over.

"Now they are being squeezed by vendors and others, he said after reports emerged that the Harris Campaign is $20 million in debt. Kamala Harris's campaign ended with at least $20 million in debt, per two sources familiar. Harris raised over $1 billion and had $118 million in the bank as of Oct 16, said Christopher Cadelago, the California bureau chief of Politico.

 

"I am very surprised that the Democrats, who fought a hard and valiant fight in the 2020 Presidential Election, raising a record amount of money, didn't have lots of dollars left over. Now they are being squeezed by vendors and others, he said.

"Whatever we can do to help them during this difficult period, I would strongly recommend we, as a Party and for the sake of desperately needed UNITY, do. We have a lot of money left over in that our biggest asset in the campaign was Earned Media, and that doesn't cost very much. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Trump said.

Vice President Kamala Harris, 60, was the Democratic Party's presidential nominee for the elections held on November 5. Harris, who lost to Trump, shattered all fund-raising records.

According to figures available from the Federal Election Commission, the Harris campaign and its Super PACS raised $2.3 billion and spent $1.9 billion. On the other hand, the Trump campaign raised over $1.8 billion and spent $1.6 billion.

Despite raising and spending over $1 billion in fundraising, Kamala Harris' 2014 election bid failed to resonate with the voters who mattered most. The heavy reliance on celebrity endorsements, star-studded concerts, and backing from elite political figures couldn't bridge the growing gap between the party and middle-class Americans struggling with rising costs for groceries, rent, and healthcare, Ajay Jain Bhutoria, a major fundraiser for the Harris Campaign told PTI in an interview.

While the Democrats garnered support from wealthy donors and Hollywood, they lost the backing of key voter groups, he said.

Moreover, Harris' campaign also saw significant shifts among key ethnic communities. Indian Americans, Asian Americans, and Muslim and Arab Americans, particularly in battleground states like Pennsylvania, and Michigan, became more disillusioned with the direction of the party, he said.

Indian American communities, who had previously been strong supporters of the Democrats, expressed growing concerns about issues like immigration reform, job opportunities, US India relationship, attack on Hindu Temples, attack on Hindus in Bangladesh and Canada and rising living costs, Bhutoria said.

In Michigan, home to significant Arab American and Muslim populations, many voters felt their concerns were sidelined in favour of more nationalized political debates. As a result, these communities increasingly moved toward Trump, feeling that their issues were better addressed by his platform, he said.

The 2024 election highlighted the deep disconnection between elite fundraising and the concerns of everyday Americans, especially on critical issues like the economy, immigration, rising crime, and costly foreign wars. The results are a stark reminder that flashy campaigns and big-money donors aren't enough when the needs of working-class families are left behind, Bhutoria said.

Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said the Democrats were not able to clearly state to enough voters how our party would materially improve their lives.

There are many theories out there, and we need to take time to really learn from this, but one thing is clear: Democrats were not able to clearly state to enough voters how our party would materially improve their lives, she said in a social media post on Saturday.