President Trump Raises $24.8 Million in Less Than 24 Hours for Re-election Launch

President Trump Raises $24.8 Million in Less Than 24 Hours for Re-election Launch
President Donald Trump arrives to speak at his re-election kickoff rally at the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., on June 18, 2019. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)
Janita Kan
6/19/2019
Updated:
6/19/2019

President Donald Trump raised a stunning $24.8 million in less than 24 hours on the day he officially launched his 2020 re-election campaign—surpassing what any Democratic presidential candidate raised in the entire first quarter.

The figure was released on early June 19, hours after Trump’s successful rally in Orlando, Florida, by Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.

“[Donald Trump] has raised a record breaking $24.8M in less than 24 hours for his re-election. The enthusiasm across the country for this President is unmatched and unlike anything we’ve ever seen!” McDaniel announced on her Twitter.

Meanwhile, Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh confirmed the figure in a post an hour later, calling it “jaw-dropping.”

“Jaw-dropping numbers from the 24 hours of the day [Donald Trump] announced his re-election campaign: $24.8 million raised. Do the math: that’s more than a million dollars an hour for an entire day. On top of an electric rally in Orlando, this shows huge Trump enthusiasm,” Murtaugh wrote.

Responding to McDaniel’s announcement, Trump wrote, “Thank you!”

The funds were raised through the Trump re-election campaign as well as joint-fundraising committees Trump Victory and Trump MAGAC (Make America Great Again Committee), reported Fox News, citing a RNC spokesperson.
The Trump campaign had set a $7 million goal for Trump’s campaign launch rally, according to an email sent to Trump supporters. Officials said that the fundraising goal set was meant to beat what several prominent Democratic candidates had collected after the first day of launching their campaign, reported the Washington Examiner.
Trump’s $24.8 certainly beat out his Democratic counterparts, with former vice president Joe Biden raising $6.3 million, self-described socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) raising $5.9 million, and former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke bringing in $6.1 million during the first 24 hours of their campaign.
Moreover, the figure Trump raised in one day also overshadowed what was raised by Democratic candidates over the first quarter of their campaign. In the first quarter of 2019, Sanders (I-Vt.) raised $18.2 million, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) raised $12 million, while O’Rourke brought in $9.4 million.
Biden hinted in at a New York City fundraiser on June 17 that he had raised about $20 million, but his campaign has declined to confirm the figure, reported the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, Trump raised more than $30 million in the first quarter of 2019.

Trump officially launched his re-election bid at a rally in Orlando, Florida, on June 18. Thousands of attendees lined up as much as 40 hours early to make it into the arena. In his speech, Trump celebrated his administration’s accomplishments for the past two years and called on Americans to reelect him to continue the momentum.

“Our country is now thriving, prospering, and booming. And frankly, it is soaring to incredible new heights. Our economy is the envy of the world,” Trump said. “Our future has never ever looked brighter or sharper. The fact is, the American dream is back, it’s bigger and better, and stronger than ever before.”