Donald Trump’s campaign is requiring Republican candidates and committees that use the former president’s name and likeness for fundraising to give at least 5% of what they raise to the campaign. This demand comes from a letter dated April 15, in which Trump’s campaign managers, Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, outlined the requirement and emphasized the importance of sharing fundraising proceeds with the Trump National Committee JFC. They also mentioned that a split that is higher than 5% would be viewed favorably by the Republican National Committee and Trump’s campaign leadership.
As Trump gears up for his campaign fundraising efforts to compete against President Joe Biden’s financial operation, the letter serves as a way to ensure that candidates and committees follow specific guidelines when using Trump’s name and likeness. The letter, reported initially by Politico, was issued on the same day as the start of Trump’s New York criminal hush money trial, limiting his ability to travel for fundraising and campaigning. The guidelines included in the letter caution against impersonating Trump, speaking on his behalf without authorization, creating unauthorized memberships or rewards, and mentioning Trump’s family without their consent or the campaign’s consent.
The Trump campaign spokesperson, Danielle Alvarez, emphasized the importance of protecting small-dollar donors from scammers who misuse the president’s name and likeness. This statement suggests that the 5% fundraising share requirement is in part a strategy to prevent unauthorized usage of Trump’s brand for fraudulent purposes. In the past, Trump has taken steps to protect his brand and name, including sending cease-and-desist letters to the RNC and congressional fundraising arms in 2021 to stop using his image and name.
Since becoming the presumptive GOP nominee, Trump has strengthened his ties with the Republican National Committee and is now raising money jointly with the national party. By demanding a percentage of fundraising proceeds from candidates and committees using his name and likeness, Trump’s campaign is asserting control over how his brand is utilized in the fundraising efforts by ensuring that these entities follow specific guidelines. This move highlights Trump’s approach to preserving his brand integrity and preventing unauthorized use of his name for political fundraising purposes.
