Former President Donald Trump hauled in more than $1 million in campaign fundraising after the first day of his criminal trial in New York, according to newly appointed Republican National Committee co-Chair Lara Trump.
Donald Trump's criminal trial entered a second day Tuesday, as lawyers try to select 12 jurors to consider the guilt or innocence of the former president.
Manhattan Democrat District Attorney Alvin Bragg has charged him with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a payment made shortly before the 2016 election to an adult film actress to keep her from speaking out about an alleged affair.
The former president repeatedly has denied the claims, saying the charges are politically motivated.
Lara Trump said the Democrats' persecution of him resulted in Americans donating money to the presumptive GOP nominee's campaign.
"The people of America spoke up yesterday in support of Donald Trump to the tune of a million and a half dollars raised for his campaign," Lara Trump said Tuesday, the Washington Examiner reported.
"The average donation was $28, so even here, in the abysmal Biden economy, people are coming out, and they are financially supporting this president."
Filings to the Federal Election Commission late Monday showed that the former president 's fundraising ramped up in the first quarter of 2024, with the RNC earning millions from a new joint fundraising arrangement, Politico reported.
The former president’s initial team-up with the RNC, with a new joint fundraising committee called Trump 47 Committee, raised $23 million with the help of large donors. Eighteen donors gave at least $800,000 to the joint committee, accounting for 62% of its fundraising, Politico said.
Until recent weeks, the former president had relied on small donors, especially those giving less than $200 online, The New York Times reported.
But now that he’s virtually guaranteed being the GOP’s presidential nominee, big donors are stepping up.
Early this month, a major fundraiser in Palm Beach, Florida, raked in a massive $50.5 million.
Donald Trump also has raised money through the Save America Joint Fundraising Committee, and the Save America leadership PAC.
However, his campaign said last month that it would be unable to match President Joe Biden's fundraising totals this year.
Reuters contributed to this story.