Former US President Donald Trump claimed he raised $50.5m (£40m) in campaign donations following a private dinner in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday.

Tickets to the dinner reportedly cost between $250,000 (£198,000) and $814,600 (£645,855), with 117 attendees paying to share a table with Trump, in what is widely considered the largest single event ever electoral gains. Record.

Speaking on his Truth social site, the Republican candidate claimed: “The biggest night in fundraising ever!!! Will double the number of Bidens in Radio City last week. People are desperate for change. They Want to make America great again!”

The event was held at the home of billionaire investor John Paulson and was attended by other billionaires including New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, oil tycoon Harold Harold Hamm and sugar tycoon Pepe Fanjul, Sr.

Several of Trump’s former rivals in the presidential debates — Sen. Tim Scott, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and North Dakota Gov. Doug Doug Burgum – also spoke at the dinner as they eye potential positions in Trump’s Cabinet.

The 77-year-old reportedly sat at the head of the table and gave a 45-minute speech about increasing domestic energy production, immigration and extending 2017 tax cuts. nbc.

Thomas Gift, associate professor of political science at University College London I: “Not only does it give Trump bragging rights, but it helps dispel the idea that he’s too toxic to attract big donors.”

“This should help him win over more deep-pocketed supporters in the future. What if most of Wall Street and other members of the 1% who have vowed not to donate to Trump finally relent and pull out their checkbooks to support Trump?” Trump’s campaign, don’t be surprised.”

Despite four pending criminal indictments, Trump has used his legal woes to raise more donations, sending emails and text messages requesting funds after court appearances and his campaign even selling prints with photos of the former president Products of.

But these court cases also hit Trump in the pocket, as “much of the money Trump has raised so far has been used to pay legal fees in the many prosecutions he faces,” said Christopher Fair, an American studies lecturer at the University of Florida. Christopher Phelps said.Nottingham, tell I.

Earlier on Saturday, U.S. President Joe Biden took aim at Trump’s fundraising efforts in a video, thanking grassroots donors for their contributions to his campaign while criticizing the former U.S. president for organizing only for wealthy donors Activity.

“As you know, folks, Trump is in Florida today raising money from a group of hedge fund billionaires… It’s a grassroots movement of nurses and teachers and firefighters and police officers fighting against Donald Trump and several… A billionaire seeking tax cuts,” he said.

Mr Biden raised $25m (£19.8m) at a fundraiser in late March after traveling to New York with former president Barack Obama on the presidential plane Air Force One before attending a Ticket prices for the event are reported to be between $250 (£198) and $500,000 (£396,000).

The 81-year-old used his campaign treasury to inject early cash into his campaign, spending $30M for ad blitz and appearances in battleground states.

This is reflected in recent polls, with Biden making significant gains over the past month in six of the seven battleground states that could decide the 2024 election, although he remains slightly behind nationally. Trump. Recent Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll.

As of the end of March, Trump and the Republicans had $93.1m (£73.6m) on hand, while Biden and the Democrats had $192m (£152m), but the latest fundraising drive will bring the former president closer on the incumbent’s campaign results.

If this trend continues and Trump receives further large cash infusions, the additional funding could be critical in helping him defeat Biden.

Andrew Rudalevige, visiting professor of politics at the London School of Economics I Trump “will claim this shows the party is united behind him,” adding that “he could also use it to offset some of Biden’s early advertising in swing states.”

But Professor Rudavig warned that if “Trump diverts the money to his personal legal expenses – which he is likely to facilitate by installing loyalists at the RNC – this could would deter future donors.”