Donald Trump’s guilty verdict fires up some Republican donors

A Silicon Valley tech investor, Shaun Maguire, posted on social media site X after the verdict that he had donated US$300,000 to support Trump.

“I believe our justice system is being weaponised against him,” said Maguire, who described himself as a former Hillary Clinton supporter who switched to supporting Trump in 2021 after Biden’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Maguire told Reuters he had not previously donated to Trump.

Robert Bigelow, who is one of Trump’s top supporters having given over US$9 million to an outside group supporting him, said the verdict had no impact on him. 

“All of the charges are contrived,” Bigelow told Reuters.

The interviews show the depth of Trump’s donor support despite his legal woes, suggesting he will retain significant financial firepower against Biden including from Wall Street, tech and the oil sector.

The donors interviewed by Reuters were also broadly upbeat about Trump winning in November based on a number of public opinion polls that put Trump ahead against Biden in some battleground states.

“I think that big donors are paying attention to the polls, not the verdict,” said oil businessman Dan Eberhart, a Trump donor who also helps raise money for the former president’s campaign.

“The polls are motivating this latest round of businessmen,” Eberhart added, saying that calls from donors had picked up “considerably”.

After setting out with a major fundraising disadvantage against Biden, Trump for the first time in April outraised his Democratic rival, aided by a flurry of major fundraising events across the country.

Several major donors, including casino billionaire Miriam Adelson, recently pledged support for Trump.

Andy Sabin, a metals businessman and Republican donor who supported three different candidates in the Republican presidential before settling on voting for Trump but has not donated to him so far, does not see the verdict having an impact.

“I haven’t met one donor yet that gives a shit about the trial. No matter how much they hate Trump, they think he’s getting screwed,” said Sabin, who regularly attends fundraisers and is donating to congressional candidates.

Trump can absolutely win the election, Sabin added, “as long as he keeps his mouth shut”.