Trump unlocks war chest for midterms with opening $30M salvo

Donald Trump, facing a slide in his approval rating amid a prolonged war with Iran, has decided to release the political funds he has been stockpiling ahead of the midterm elections.

CNN reported Saturday that Trump had given final approval to pour a large sum from his personal political action committee into supporting vulnerable Republican candidates in the midterms, citing two sources.

The sources said the cash infusion would come within the next few weeks, describing it as the "first salvo" ahead of an election now three months away.

One source said the final amount had not yet been determined but mentioned $30 million as the first installment.

It has long been known that Trump has been sitting on a massive war chest built through an unprecedented fundraising blitz during his second term.

The Wall Street Journal reported on July 16 that donations and contributions flowing to Trump-affiliated organizations since the 2024 presidential election totaled at least $781.95 million.

The largest single fund is the super PAC "MAGA Inc.," established to back candidates aligned with Trump's Make America Great Again movement. As of late May, it held $382 million.

Beyond the financial firepower, Trump is also planning to hit the campaign trail more frequently in person. An adviser said the president is preparing to gradually expand his campaign schedule and plans to visit competitive districts at least once a week.

CNN noted that Trump's team had been promising such a plan for months, and Republicans have long argued that it is a critical step toward mobilizing MAGA voters — whom they consider essential to winning the midterms.

The Republican outlook, however, is far from bright. With the Iran war entering its sixth month, gasoline prices across the United States have surged and Trump's approval rating has tumbled.

An adviser close to Trump acknowledged to CNN that there is little expectation of drawing in the large numbers of independent and swing voters who played a key role in delivering crucial battleground states during the 2024 presidential election.

Republicans therefore believe the outcome of the election hinges on turnout among committed MAGA voters. Getting millions of them to the polls in a midterm — when turnout is typically low — is the party's most important electoral strategy.

Trump had long downplayed the rise in gasoline prices caused by the Iran war, but the White House has recently begun emphasizing that lowering energy costs is among the president's top priorities, on top of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt told reporters Saturday that "both goals are equally important to the president."

The remark amounted to an acknowledgment that rising prices are the single biggest factor dragging down Trump's approval rating by placing an economic burden on voters. One Trump adviser told CNN bluntly: "High prices — that's why people are angry."

hanimomo@heraldcorp.com