Axios: Trump’s $500 Million Post-Election Windfall

We have entered a new era.

Axios:

“President-elect Trump is being inundated with so much money from corporations and wealthy donors that his team expects to raise about $500 million by summer — even though he can’t run again, sources in his operation tell Axios.

Why it matters: By stockpiling so much cash, Trump is signaling he doesn’t want to be seen as a lame duck in his second term, and is ready to help political allies, punish opponents and help Republicans keep full control of Congress in 2026.

“The money is just pouring in at Mar-a-Lago. Trump doesn’t have to lift a finger. Everyone’s coming to him,” said a Trump adviser who was among five insiders to speak with Axios anonymously to describe the inner workings of Trump’s operation.

“We’re looking at half a billion [dollars] by June, and we’re on track,” this adviser said. “It’s sort of a target but it’s just a realistic projection of what’s happening.”…”

Previously, Donald Trump was seen as illegitimate.

In the aftermath of January 6, Trump was deplatformed by banks and social media companies. Wealthy donors swore an oath that they would never donate to Trump again. Most American corporations went woke and gay. Most importantly, corporate donors stigmatized Trump and the GOP who became extremely reliant on huge donations from ultra-Zionists like Sheldon Adelson. The liberal establishment spent years waging lawfare against Trump and his allies in the federal courts.

All that has changed … Elon Musk alone spent an incredible $250 million to get Trump elected. Timothy Mellon spent $125 million on Trump’s campaign. Since he won the 2024 election, the dam has burst and everyone from Tim Cook to Jeff Bezos to Mark Zuckerberg has donated millions to Trump. The richest people in the world now want to be seen in public with Trump at his inauguration. The floodgates have opened and Trump now expects to raise $500 million from wealthy and corporate donors by this summer. The liberal establishment, which used to rule the country, has been defeated which is why Trump is popping off with wild ideas like annexing Greenland and making Canada the 51st state.

Miriam Adelson spent $100 million to elect Trump in the 2024 election. The Adelsons have spent $424 million on Trump and the GOP between 2016 and 2021. The old Zionist money is becoming relatively less important though now that Trump and the GOP are securing a new donor base.

Corporate America feels “liberated” by Trump.

FT:

“It’s the dawn of a new era of conservatism in corporate America, as executives embrace Trump and the new Republican Washington.

Companies are reshaping how they interact with society — and tech billionaires, financiers and the heads of well-known consumer groups are leading the way. It’s a mirror image of the surge in support for social justice causes after a police officer killed George Floyd in 2020. …

Companies are doing away with diversity, equity and inclusion programmes, cutting support for racial diversity charities and dropping out of climate action groups. They’re also clearing anything that could be seen as “woke” from public statements, corporate documents and advertising. Some CEOs have been emboldened to speak out in favour of conservative policies such as tax cuts and traditional gender roles.

To some on Wall Street, the shift is a breath of fresh air.

Bankers and financiers say that Trump’s victory has empowered those who felt they had to self-censor or change their language to avoid offending younger colleagues, women, minorities or disabled people.

“I feel liberated,” said a top banker. “We can say ‘retard’ and ‘pussy’ without the fear of getting cancelled … it’s a new dawn.”

This is why I am reminded of the Gilded Age.

When the Civil War and Reconstruction era ended in America, there was a similar vibe shift. The country discarded briefly fashionable social justice causes, which were written off as a failure and an embarrassment much like Wokeism is today, and shifted its attention to getting rich.

All these rich people like Zuck who are lining up to support Trump now have been reminded of what they actually care about which is deregulation and making money. They all have a lot to gain from dumping annoying progressive activists and reaping the benefits of new regulatory changes and tax cuts.