Trump wants GOP to pay for his likeness with fundraising

In a letter this week, the Trump presidential campaign asked all down-ballot GOP campaigns for at least a 5% cut of the money raised from advertising that features the party's 2024 presumptive White House nominee.

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Donald Trump’s campaign is asking Republican candidates and committees using the former president’s name and likeness to fundraise to give at least 5% of what they raise to the campaign, according to a letter obtained by CNN.

Trump’s campaign managers, Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, said in a letter dated April 15, “Beginning tomorrow, we ask that all candidates and committees who choose to use President Trump’s name, image, and likeness split a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC…” 

Wiles and LaCivita added: “Any split that is higher than 5% will be seen favorably by the (Republican National Committee) and President Trump’s campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations.”

The letter comes as the presumptive GOP nominee has been ramping up his campaign fundraising as he scrambles to catch up with President Joe Biden’s financial operation. The letter, first reported by Politico, was dated on the first day of Trump’s New York criminal hush money trial, which will severely curtail his flexibility to travel for fundraising and campaigning.

The letter also included guidelines for Republican candidates and committees when they are using Trump’s name and likeness while fundraising and asked them to avoid “speaking on behalf of” Trump, “creating memberships, clubs, or rewards that are not authorized by the campaign,” “impersonating President Trump or his campaign,” and mentioning Trump’s family without their consent or the consent of the campaign.

“It is important to protect small dollar donors from scammers that use the president’s name and likeness,” Trump campaign spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement.

Trump has closely guarded the use of his brand and name. In 2021, his team sent cease-and-desist letters to the RNC and the party’s congressional fundraising arms, asking them to stop using his name and image in their fundraising appeals. Since becoming his party’s presumptive nominee, Trump has launched a takeover of the RNC and now is raising money jointly with the national party.