A LOT OF HATS

Trump Campaign Shatters Spending Record by Splashing $1 Billion Before Convention

In 2012, Obama had only spent a comparably paltry $643 million by this stage in the campaign.

If President Donald Trump fails to win a second term in November, he’s not going to be able to whine about being outmuscled by the mega-rich establishment. The Washington Post reports that the campaign to re-elect Trump has already spent over $1 billion since 2017—smashing the record for this point in the campaign. By comparison, at this point in former President Barack Obama’s re-election effort in 2012, a comparably paltry $643 million had been spent. Trump’s $1 billion figure comes from new filings showing spending from his campaign, the Republican Party, and two affiliated committees. The Post reports that Trump’s fundraising in July outdid Biden’s with $165 million raised, compared to Biden’s $140 million. At the start of August, Trump’s campaign had more than $300 million in cash-on-hand, while Biden’s fell just short at $294 million.