Donald Trump’s presidential campaign’s GoFundMe efforts have raised millions to support survivors of both an assassination attempt on the former president and the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.
The two high-profile fundraisers, organized by the Republican nominee’s national finance director, have raised more than $14 million. The Associated Press (AP), citing legal experts, reported that the funds do not violate campaign finance laws, and the campaign is not allowed to use any proceeds for its own political ends.
According to comments Trump’s campaign spokesperson Brian Hughes made to the AP, the decision to use GoFundMe was motivated by “the president wanting to help find a way for his supporters to give as much direct support as they can.” Hughes added that the finance team only got involved because of their “great expertise in working with large accounts.”
In addition, Hughes told the AP, “not one penny of this funding is going anywhere but to those impacted.” Hughes said more than $6.5 million of the $7.7 million raised for organizations helping with Hurricane Helene recovery had been disbursed as of October 11.
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Meanwhile, a GoFundMe spokesperson told the AP that the majority of the Butler, Pennsylvania, funds for the survivors of the July shooting during a failed assassination attempt on Trump during a campaign rally have been disbursed.
“The president has an amazing movement of supporters,” Hughes told AP. “With the experience in Butler generating millions of dollars of support, he saw the same opportunity to be a direct conduit for a philanthropic effort from his supporters.”
Among the notable donors were influential figures like Bill Ackman, the CEO of the Pershing Square investment firm, donated $100,000 for hurricane relief. UFC President Dana White also donated $100,000. Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida took to X to share that he donated $50,000 from his congressional salary for the Butler, Pennsylvania victims. The Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank behind Project 2025, also contributed.
Newsweek has reached out to Trump’s campaign via email on Monday for further comment.
However, the use of a crowdfunding platform marks a rare response to crises from a political campaign as experts remain divided on the use of such a platform.
Brett Kappel, a campaign finance attorney, remarked that it is uncommon to see a presidential candidate direct campaign resources toward charitable efforts, let alone through GoFundMe. The platform is usually reserved for personal fundraising campaigns, not large-scale relief efforts spearheaded by political figures.
“It’s pretty unusual and actually quite odd,” Kappel told the AP, adding that it’s more typical to see candidates contribute campaign funds to IRS-approved nonprofits during natural disasters. Kappel pointed to Federal Election Commission filings that show Republican Senator Tim Scott’s 2022 campaign gave to the American Red Cross after Hurricane Ian hit his home state of South Carolina.
Despite these concerns, the Trump campaign has been transparent about the allocation of the funds. Nearly $6.5 million has reportedly already been disbursed to organizations involved in Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. Groups like Samaritan’s Purse and Water Mission have publicly acknowledged receiving donations, though specific amounts were not disclosed.
Meanwhile, Mtn2Sea Ministries, which delivers generators and supplies in the immediate aftermath of weather events, said on Facebook that it received $25,000 on Monday. The disaster relief group posted that the proceeds were used to buy South Georgia businesses’ gift cards because “the best way to help those in need is to get resources directly into their hands.”
Benjamin Soskis of the Urban Institute’s Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy told the AP that it makes sense that Trump’s team gravitated toward crowdfunding. He said the former president’s campaign “has often been premised on a suspicion of institutions,” he said, and GoFundMe “drew some of its attraction by serving as an alternative to institutional charitable giving.”
However, he also warned crowdfunding also brings less accountability. Unlike traditional nonprofit organizations, GoFundMe does not require the same level of financial disclosure, leaving room for skepticism. Soskis also pointed out that Trump’s past philanthropic controversies could further complicate the public’s trust in these initiatives.
“It is a combustible dynamic when you combine campaigning and charitable giving,” Soskis said. “The extra dynamics of crowdfunding and Trump’s own history with philanthropy itself adds more fuel to that fire.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.