Trump moves to thwart fundraising off his name
Donald Trump’s campaign is upping its efforts to stop Republicans who use his name and likeness to fundraise without the former president’s consent. On Friday, the campaign announced that it would begin giving a “Seal of Approval” to Republican candidates and groups Trump endorses, in order to help the party’s donors distinguish between those outfits that the former president supports and those that are trying to raise money off his name by falsely conveying they have his backing. “Unfortunately, some candidates, PACs and their fundraising vendors have drained millions of dollars from President Trump’s donors by falsely claiming that they support President Trump, that the president supports them, and that funds received in response to the solicitations will support, help, or defend President Trump,” the campaign said in a statement. According to the announcement, those who do have Trump’s support will be granted the use of a gold-emblazoned badge reading “Official Team Trump.” Trump’s
Donald Trump’s campaign is upping its efforts to stop Republicans who use his name and likeness to fundraise without the former president’s consent.
On Friday, the campaign announced that it would begin giving a “Seal of Approval” to Republican candidates and groups Trump endorses, in order to help the party’s donors distinguish between those outfits that the former president supports and those that are trying to raise money off his name by falsely conveying they have his backing.
“Unfortunately, some candidates, PACs and their fundraising vendors have drained millions of dollars from President Trump’s donors by falsely claiming that they support President Trump, that the president supports them, and that funds received in response to the solicitations will support, help, or defend President Trump,” the campaign said in a statement.
According to the announcement, those who do have Trump’s support will be granted the use of a gold-emblazoned badge reading “Official Team Trump.” Trump’s campaign says it is encouraging Trump-endorsed candidates and groups to use the seal in fundraising solicitations, and on social media and advertisements.
“The Seal will be a powerful signal to President Trump’s loyal donors that the sender is on Team Trump, and is not a scammer,” the campaign said.
Trump’s lieutenants have long fought those who, they say, have improperly tried to fundraise off the former president’s name. In March, the campaign sent a letter to the National Republican Congressional Committee and 10 Republican consulting firms asking them to stop using Trump’s name and likeness in fundraising pitches. And in 2021, Trump’s operation sent a cease-and-desist letter to the NRCC, National Republican Senatorial Committee and Republican National Committee demanding they stop fundraising off him.
The campaign said it plans to put a list of those candidates with the seal on its website. And in the announcement it warns that, “Any entity that mimics or unlawfully uses the Seal without explicit approval from a representative of President Trump’s campaign may face legal action.”
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