Trump brings in more than $6.8 million from Greenville fundraiser
Written by ABC AUDIO ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on February 21, 2024
(WASHINGTON) — Just days ahead of the South Carolina Republican primary, former President Donald Trump’s campaign is expected to bring in at least $6 million from a fundraiser in Greenville, South Carolina, Tuesday evening, the Trump campaign told ABC News.
Trump’s latest massive fundraising haul comes amid a cash crush for his campaign heading deeper into the 2024 election year, after Republican rival Nikki Haley’s campaign outraised the Trump campaign during the month of January while Trump’s legal expenditures continue to snowball.
Latest campaign disclosures show that the Trump campaign raised $8.8 million in January while the Haley campaign raised $11.5 million the same month, but Trump still entered February with $30 million in the bank, more than double what Haley had in cash on hand.
The star-studded Trump fundraiser on Tuesday was hosted by top Republicans from the state, including Gov. Henry McMaster and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, as well as those who have previously been Trump’s political opponents, like Sen. Tim Scott, who was recently Trump’s 2024 rival, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was once critical of Trump but has since pledged to throw all his support behind him.
Fox News first reported on the $6 million haul from the Greenville fundraiser.
Ed McMullen, one of the co-hosts of the fundraiser, told ABC News they have already raised more than $6.8 million from the Greenville fundraiser, with more expected from additional contribution pledges made Tuesday night.
“That’s a historic number,” said McMullen, a Trump-appointed ambassador to Switzerland who has fundraised for Trump since the 2016 election, explaining this is the most amount raised from a single fundraiser in South Carolina.
The Trump fundraiser comes on the heels of a Haley fundraiser that took place in the same city of Greenville just the night before, hosted by a group of longtime friends and allies, like Bush-appointed former Ambassador David Wilkins, Greenville City Council member John DeWorken and businessman Dennis Braasch.
That was Haley’s third known fundraiser in South Carolina this month, after two earlier fundraisers in Columbia and Charleston.
Trump’s Greenville fundraiser took place at the home of South Carolina casino developer Wallace Cheves, a major Republican donor who had also raised money for Graham and McMaster.
It was co-hosted and attended by numerous longtime top Trump donors, including Greenville-based investor Dan Abrams and Charleston-based financier Scott Bessent, as well as George Glass, former Trump-appointed ambassador to Portugal.
Speaking before a crowd of roughly 150 to 200 donors, Trump made little mention of Haley other than that he’s expecting a big win in South Carolina this weekend and that an anticipated defeat in her home state is an indication that it’s time for her to get out of the race, McMullen said of his remarks at the fundraiser.
For the most part, Trump focused on general election issues like immigration and his fight against President Joe Biden, saying he’s moving beyond the primary after Saturday night, McMullen said.
Trump has been ramping up his fundraising this month, holding a major fundraiser at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida last week, and scheduled to hold another fundraiser in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday.
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