WASHINGTON: The politically incorrect billionaire and US President Donald Trump held a re-election campaign fundraiser barely five months into office. Forty months ahead of the next election, the President entertained guests for about two hours at a $35,000-per-plate donor event at the Trump International Hotel, right across the White House. Spokeswoman for the Republic National Committee, Linday Jancek said over 300 people were expected to attend the event which was expected to raise about $10 million.
Guests in shimmering evening gowns and crisp suits began to arrive around 5 pm, only to face groups of protesters who were present with slogans reading “Health care not tax cuts” and chanted “Shame! Shame!” when the President's motorcade arrived. While historically early campaigning came with fundraising benefits, it raised red flags, including government employees inappropriately crossing over into campaign activities, and possibilities of tax dollars subsiding some aspects of campaign events. Former general counsel to the Federal Election Commission, Larry Noble said the early campaigning creates plenty of “potential tripwires”. “They're going to have to proceed very carefully to avoid violations.”
Guests included long time GOP fundraiser-turned television commentator Mica Mosbacher and Florida lobbyist and party financier Brian Ballard. Trump, breaking tradition, did not allow reporters into the event, despite an announcement earlier in the day that a group of reporters would be allowed in to hear the President's remarks. White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, “It's political event and they've chosen to keep that separate.” She said there was nothing unusual about raising political cash so early. “He's raising money for the party. I don't think that's abnormal for any president.”
The first cut of the money raised would go to Trump's 2020 re-election campaign, the rest will be distributed among the RNC and other Republican entities.
