Countless lawsuits, scandals and embarrassing appearances – Donald Trump and his renewed run for the White House are making headlines around the world. Many supporters have now turned their backs on him and even his own party is struggling with the likely election of the ex-president. But a handful of mega-rich donors appear to be an important resource for Donald Trump.
Together, these ‘major donors’ have already donated more than 50 million dollars (46.64 million euros) to support Trump’s election campaign against incumbent Democratic President Joe Biden.
Super-rich customers important to Trump
With fewer small donations coming in and some major Republican donors turning away, super-rich benefactors are particularly important to Trump. Below are the top five donors, based on a Reuters analysis of Federal Election Commission data:
Timothy Mellon
The 81-year-old is heir to the Pittsburgh-based Mellon banking family. He has donated at least $16.5 million to the pro-Trump Super Pac known as MAGA Inc. since 2022. Pac stands for “Political Action Committee”. These organizations collect donations. During the 2020 presidential election, Mellon donated at least $20 million to a Trump-aligned superpac called America First Action. Amateur pilot Mellon lives in Wyoming; there are hardly any photos of him. Forbes estimates the Mellon family fortune at approximately $14.1 billion.
Mellon is also the largest donor to independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. supports. He donated at least $20 million to his super Pac American Values. Polls show that Kennedy could receive votes from both Biden and Trump in the November 5 election.
Mellon has also donated money to anti-immigrant measures – such as a fund to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico. Reuters was unable to reach Mellon through a publisher or family foundation with which he was previously associated.
Isaac and Laura Perlmutter
Isaac “Ike” Perlmutter, the former chairman of Marvel Entertainment, and his wife Laura have donated more than $10 million to a new Trump superpac called Right for America. Perlmutter is a regular guest at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. The Perlmutters have already donated at least $21 million to America First Action Inc. in 2020.
Last year, entertainment company Walt Disney fired Perlmutter as chairman of Marvel Entertainment as part of a cost-cutting program. This smaller division within the company is responsible, among other things, for publishing comics.
The Israeli-born Perlmutter, who is 81 years old according to Forbes and whose fortune is approximately $4.4 billion, leads a very secluded life. He also rarely allows himself to be photographed. His wife Laura, who also keeps a low profile, is director of the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Foundation. According to the company, this focuses on healthcare and community initiatives.
Isaac Perlmutter’s attorney, John Turitzin, said on the phone that he did not want to speak to the media and hung up.
Linda McMahon
The former wrestling entrepreneur has been a Trump donor for years. She led the Small Business Administration under the Trump administration. She has donated more than $10 million to MAGA Inc. during the current election campaign. donated. McMahon donated more than $15 million in 2019 and 2020 to America First Action, which she chaired before the 2020 election.
Until 2009, she co-managed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) with her husband Vince McMahon, who bought the company from his father in the 1980s. Earlier this year, Vince McMahon resigned from wrestling giant TKO and the WWE subsidiary he founded. He was previously accused in a lawsuit of sexual assault and human trafficking. He denies the accusations. Forbes estimates his net worth at around $2.7 billion.
Linda McMahon, 75, ran twice unsuccessfully for a U.S. Senate seat in Connecticut. Today she is president of the pro-Trump America First Policy Institute in Washington. According to its own statements, it wants to advocate “free enterprise, national greatness, American military superiority… and the primacy of American workers, families and communities.” The institute did not respond to requests for comment.
Robert Bigelow
The 79-year-old hotel magnate from Nevada has donated more than $9 million to MAGA Inc. this election campaign. Bigelow told Reuters in January that he had pledged a total of $20 million to the pro-Trump group. Bigelow, who is fascinated by UFOs and space and funds several research projects, has already dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. He said he has donated $1 million to Trump’s legal affairs fund. In 2011, Forbes estimated the value of Bigelow’s real estate holdings at approximately $700 million.
Patricia Dugan
The top donor to the controversial Church of Scientology has donated more than $5 million to MAGA Inc. this election cycle. Her ex-husband, Robert Duggan, is an investor and entrepreneur whose fortune increased significantly with the sale of cancer drugmaker Pharmacyclics to AbbVie in 2015 for $21 billion. Forbes estimates his net worth at around $3.3 billion.
The Duggans, who met at the University of California, Santa Barbara and had eight children, divorced in 2017. They each donated at least $4 million to America First Action in 2020. Patricia Duggan’s personal website describes her as an artist with a passion for glass art. She lives in Clearwater, Florida. She did not respond to a request for comment.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
