Transition of power
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Top donors to the president-elect’s inaugural committee who donate at least $1 million or raise $2 million will receive special benefits such as the opportunity to attend dinners with Melania Trump and the future vice president, JD Vance.
Authored by Theodore Schleifer
Writing from the nation
Fund-raisers for the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump are collecting donations in amounts as large as $2 million.
An advertisement called "Trump Vance Inaugural Committee Benefits" outlines the advantages of donating $1 million or raising $2 million for the event. Donors who achieve this high level of contribution are rewarded with up to six tickets to eight inaugural events taking place from January 17 to January 20.
Following a contentious election, donors and businesses often contribute large sums of money to presidential inaugural committees to show their support for the new president and to gain favor with the administration. The Trump committee, classified as a political nonprofit for tax reasons, does not have donation limits, but contributions over $200 are reported to the Federal Election Commission.
Notable events for top donors and fundraisers include a reception with cabinet selections and a dinner with Vice President-elect JD Vance and his spouse, Usha Vance, on January 18. There is also a lavish dinner with President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on January 19, considered the main event. Prior to the release of this information, Mrs. Trump had not officially confirmed her participation in the inauguration events, which also include a Sunday interfaith service that the materials indicate she intends to attend with Mr. Trump.
The major donors will be given six tickets each to attend the inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20.
The initial inaugural committee for Mr. Trump, which was looked into by federal prosecutors for receiving illegal foreign donations and led to a donor being sentenced to 12 years in prison, raised $107 million in the years 2016 and 2017. The present inaugural committee is being overseen by Steven Witkoff, a billionaire in real estate who has donated close to $2 million to Mr. Trump’s political campaigns in the last ten years and has been appointed as a special envoy to the Middle East, along with Kelly Loeffler, a former Republican senator from Georgia.
Mr. Trump is still collecting funds for his political campaigns. He is scheduled to host an event at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on December 19th for a pro-Trump super PAC called MAGA Inc. Tickets for the event are priced at $1 million per person, as stated in an invitation obtained by The New York Times.
Theodore Schleifer is a journalist for The Times who focuses on reporting about campaign finance and the impact of wealthy individuals on American politics. Learn more about Theodore Schleifer.
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