Trump Campaign Spent More Money Than It Raised In December, Filings Show

Months after former President Donald Trump declared his third bid for the White House, filings showed that his primary fundraising committee had burned more cash than it had raised in December last year.

According to a filing reported to the Federal Election Commission, the Save America Joint Fundraising Committee, Trump's fundraising machinery for his 2024 campaign, has spent over $5.1 million on texting, online advertising and list rentals.

The spending eclipsed the almost $5 million it raised between Nov. 29 and Dec. 31, 2022, according to Politico.

But the high expenses didn't stop the fundraising committee from funneling a significant amount of money to Trump's campaign, which enabled the former president to pay his campaign staff and launch several campaign events.

Despite the concerns about the campaign's finances, a spokesperson for his 2024 presidential bid argued that Trump will launch an "aggressive and fully-funded campaign."

"President Trump has raised $21.3 million in the last quarter, proving that he is an unstoppable force that continues to dominate politics," Trump campaign spokesperson Steve Cheung said.

"The campaign built out a second-to-none operation both on the national level and in early states since announcing. The President will wage an aggressive and fully-funded campaign to take our country back from Joe Biden and Democrats who seek to destroy our country," he added.

Trump's 2024 campaign has reported that it has $3 million in cash on hand, and his fundraising committee raised more than $15 million in October and November.

MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, has reported having $54 million in cash on hand at the end of 2022, giving the former president's 2024 prospects more lifeline.

But when his 2024 campaign is compared to the past presidential bids of Sen. Mitt Romney, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Trump's fundraising in the first weeks of the 2024 presidential race is less than stellar.

Mike Murphy, one of the architects of the former Florida governor's 2016 campaign, told the New York Times that Trump is "slowly and steadily declining."

"It looks like the Trump money machine has gone from a Ferrari engine to a lawn mower engine," Murphy said.

Beth Hansen, the former manager of John Kasich's campaigns for Ohio governor and 2016 presidential bid, echoed Murphy's remark, saying that Trump's third presidential campaign is "anemic."

Hansen, a Republican strategist, explained that Trump's brand has become less appealing to voters.

Trump launched his third bid for the presidency on Nov. 15, 2022, against the backdrop of the disappointing midterm election results for the Republicans.

Most of the GOP candidates backed by Trump, including Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, Kari Lake and Blake Masters in Arizona, and Raphael Warnock in Georgia, have lost to their Democratic rivals.

It led some Republicans to blame Trump for his involvement in the GOP primaries. Others view re-elected Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a better alternative for the party in the 2024 presidential elections.

Trump was also embroiled in a controversy when he met with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes at his Mar-a-Lago residence.