Donations to President Joe Biden's re-election campaign have suffered a dramatic decline as financial support for Donald Trump surged.
Biden was able to raise just $51million (£40million) in April, a 43 per cent slump from the $90million (£70.7million) achieved in March. Meanwhile, Donald Trump's campaign raised more than $76million (£60million) in April, an almost 16 per cent increase from $65.6million (£51.6million) the previous month.
It's the first time in this election cycle that the Republican former President was able to fundraise more than his Democrat rival, and the timing will be worrying for the Biden camp, coming less than six months from polling day.
Despite the drop in donations, Biden’s campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said April’s haul "reflects strong, consistent grassroots enthusiasm for re-electing Joe and Kamala (Vice President Kamala Harris)."
Donations to Biden's re-election campaign have faltered
Reuters/PA
The Biden campaign also pointed out that its total war chest currently stands at $192million (£151million), which they claim is a record for any Democratic candidate at this point in the election cycle.
Some of that support was boosted by Biden’s State of the Union address, a fundraising blitz through eight battleground states, and an event hosted by ‘Wall Street’ actor Michael Douglas.
Trump, who has been forced to spend much of his time in court attending his ‘hush money’ trial since 15 April, is believed to have significantly less cash on hand, ending March with just $93.1million (£73million).
That financial disparity has impacted his ability to advertise in key states and mobilise support ahead of what looks set to be a closely fought November election.
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Donald Trump speaks to the media on the first day of opening arguments in his trial at Manhattan Criminal Court for falsifying documents related to hush money paymentsREUTERSHowever, this surge in funds will be a much-needed boost to the former president, after Justice Juan Merchan appeared inclined not to dismiss the prosecution’s case despite relying on testimony from convicted felon and admitted liar Michael Cohen.
"You said that his lies are irrefutable, but do you think he's going to fool 12 New Yorkers?" Merchan asked Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche, who had requested the dismissal.
Speaking outside the presence of the jury, Blanche said, "There is no way that the court should let this case go to the jury relying on Cohen’s testimony," adding that without Cohen’s testimony "there is no case."
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to silence porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.
The Biden campaign pointed out that its total war chest currently stands at $192m - a record for any Democratic candidate at this point in the election cycle.
Reuters
The first former president to face a criminal trial, Trump has repeatedly claimed it is a politically motivated effort to hinder his re-election campaign.
With the prosecution having rested, Merchan was quick to reprimand a witness for the defence after he expressed dissatisfaction with one of his rulings.
"If you don't like my ruling, you don't give me side eye and you don't roll your eyes," Merchan told Robert Costello, a lawyer.
Costello testified that Cohen told him after a 2018 FBI raid that he did not have any dirt on Trump to offer prosecutors.
"He said, ‘I swear to God, Bob, I don’t have anything on Donald Trump,’" Costello said.
Costello also said Cohen told him numerous times that Trump knew nothing about the payment to Daniels.
Closing arguments are expected next week followed by jury deliberations.
