Why It Matters: A presidential front-runner turns court cases into campaign cash.
The front-runner for the Republican nomination, Mr. Trump has treated his indictments as political fund-raising opportunities, seeking to repeatedly tap his loyal base of small donors.
He and his team have highlighted his increased donations after both indictments, and on Tuesday, he paired his appearance in court with a campaign stop, pausing at Miami’s Versailles Restaurant to greet supporters before making his appearance in Bedminster.
Background: His previous indictment helped bring in an even bigger rush of donations.
Setting aside the $2.1 million raised at the Bedminster event on Tuesday night, the Trump campaign raised $4.5 million since the indictment was announced last week, it said.
That bump in fund-raising, while significant, was smaller than the surge of donations that followed his indictment in late March on state charges — the campaign raised $4 million in the 24 hours after those charges, and more than $15 million in the two weeks that followed.
These figures also cannot be confirmed until the campaign files federal disclosures next month, which cover the fund-raising period from April to June of this year.
What’s Next: The campaigning will continue while more legal troubles loom.
Mr. Trump, who has made outrage over his legal troubles central to his 2024 bid, is forging ahead with campaign events. On Monday, he has a planned appearance on Fox News, and he will speak at an event in Michigan the following Sunday.
The next hearing in the documents case is scheduled for June 27, when Walt Nauta, Mr. Trump’s personal aide and co-defendant, will enter his plea. Mr. Trump is still completing his legal team for the case.
Mr. Trump may still face further charges in Georgia, where he is being investigated for his role in attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Jack Smith, the special counsel who brought federal charges against Mr. Trump in the documents case, is also investigating the former president’s role in the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021.
Rebecca Davis O’Brien contributed reporting.
