Transition of power
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Those who donate at least $1 million or help raise $2 million for the president-elect’s inaugural committee will receive special privileges, such as the opportunity to have dinner with Melania Trump and the incoming vice president, JD Vance.
Written by Theodore Schleifer
Writing from the capital
Fund-raisers for the inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump are seeking donations as large as $2 million to cover the costs of the event.
An advertisement titled "Trump Vance Inaugural Committee Benefits" outlines the advantages of contributing $1 million or raising $2 million for the upcoming event. Donors who meet this high level of contribution will receive up to six tickets to eight inaugural events happening from January 17th to January 20th.
Following a controversial election, donors and companies often contribute large sums of money to the inaugural committees of presidents in order to show their support and gain influence with the new administration. Donations to the Trump committee have no limits, as it is classified as a political nonprofit for tax reasons, but any gifts over $200 are reported to the Federal Election Commission.
The schedule for top donors and fundraisers includes a reception with cabinet picks, a dinner with Vice President-elect JD Vance and his wife on Jan. 18, and an exclusive dinner with President Donald J. Trump and Melania Trump on Jan. 19. This dinner is considered the main event. Before the announcement, Melania Trump had not confirmed her attendance at the inauguration events, which also include a Sunday morning interfaith service that she is expected to attend with President Trump.
Next Monday, January 20th, generous donors will be given six tickets each to attend the inauguration ceremony.
Federal prosecutors looked into potential illegal foreign donations in Mr. Trump’s initial inaugural committee, leading to the imprisonment of one donor. This committee raised $107 million between 2016 and 2017. The current inaugural committee is now headed by Steven Witkoff, a wealthy real estate developer who has contributed close to $2 million to Mr. Trump’s political campaigns in the last ten years. Kelly Loeffler, a former Republican senator from Georgia, is also part of the leadership team.
Donald Trump is still actively fundraising for his political activities. He is scheduled to host an event at his private club in Florida, Mar-a-Lago, on December 19th for a pro-Trump super PAC called MAGA Inc. The invitation, which was obtained by The New York Times, states that tickets for the event are priced at $1 million per person.
Theodore Schleifer is a journalist for The Times who focuses on reporting about campaign finance and how billionaires impact American politics. To learn more about Theodore Schleifer, visit his profile.
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