AP Photo/Evan Vucci.
Former President Donald Trump According to the report, Trump made a “surprisingly blunt and transactional pitch” to oil company executives at a meeting at Mar-a-Lago last month, demanding that they raise $1 billion for his reelection campaign in exchange for a “deal” that would allow them to benefit from the tax cuts and deregulation that Trump would support for a second term. The Washington Post.
President Trump's campaign fundraising is lagging far behind his Democratic opponent. Joe BidenHe had amassed a cash stash of $155 million in March, more than triple Trump's $42 million. As the former president's ongoing lawsuits and legal costs continue to consume a significant portion of his time and funds, the Trump campaign has been courting ultra-wealthy donors, including: Elon Musk.
The dinner at Mar-a-Lago in April was reportedly attended by “approximately two dozen executives.” postinclude “Mike SabelCEO and Founder of Venture Global Jack FuscoCEO of Cheniere Energy, and executives from Chevron, Continental Resources, Exxon and Occidental Petroleum.
One of those oil magnates complained about the burden of environmental regulations the Biden administration has imposed on the industry, even as it spends hundreds of millions of dollars on lobbyists, according to a report. postTrump then gave a response that “surprised” those in attendance.
Trump's response surprised several business executives in the room overlooking the ocean. “You guys are rich enough. You should raise a billion dollars to bring me back to the White House,” Trump said. At the dinner, Trump vowed to immediately roll back dozens of Biden's environmental regulations and policies and block any new ones, said a person familiar with the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Trump said the $1 billion donation would be a “deal” because it would allow him to avoid taxes and regulations, according to people familiar with the matter.
of post The article goes on to detail the differences between Biden and Trump's approaches to regulating the environmental and energy industries, stating:[d]”Despite the oil industry's dissatisfaction with Biden's policies, the United States currently produces more oil than any country, averaging about 13 million barrels per day last year,” the report said. America's two largest energy companies, Exxon Mobil and Chevron, are expected to make their biggest annual profits in a decade in 2023.
But Trump is promising that new offshore drilling permits, faster review of permit applications and the loosening or elimination of Biden-era regulations will bolster the coffers of these companies and provide “even bigger windfalls.”
So far, Trump's fundraising efforts have been less successful, with oil industry allies contributing less than $7 million to Trump's joint fundraising committee in the first quarter of 2024. Harold Hammbillionaire shale oil magnate Mitt Romney's Presidential campaign organizers “expect big money to flow in” [Trump’s] An oil company executive said, post Now that Trump has secured the Republican nomination, he said it's a “no brainer” for industry insiders to loosen their purse strings for him.
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com
