The presidential campaign of Donald Trump announced on Friday that it had received nearly $53 million in online small-dollar donations following his conviction in the New York hush money trial. This record-breaking haul is equivalent to more than $2 million raised per hour, according to the campaign.
Senior campaign aides Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles attributed the surge in donations to the "outpouring of support from patriots across our country."
They noted that over a third of the total donations came from new donors to the campaign, indicating a significant increase in grassroots enthusiasm for Trump's cause.
The campaign's digital fundraising system was overwhelmed with support, despite temporary online delays due to the high volume of traffic. As of Friday evening, the total amount raised had climbed to $52.8 million.
The conviction on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal in the 2016 presidential campaign has galvanized Trump's support, with the campaign describing the verdict as a "sham trial verdict."
Trump is due for sentencing on July 11 but is expected to appeal the verdict.
The campaign's fundraising efforts were boosted by Trump's characterization of the trial as a "witch hunt" and a "deep state" conspiracy.
The campaign website redirected visitors to a fundraising page declaring Trump a "political prisoner" moments after the conviction, which crashed for about an hour due to the overwhelming response from supporters.
Trump has a history of using legal controversies to his advantage, and this latest fundraising drive is no exception. The campaign's message emphasized the need for supporters to stand with Trump against what they perceive as a political witch hunt orchestrated by President Joe Biden and the Democrats.
