How Trump's campaign is pivoting since the indictment
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign website has gotten a makeover
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign website has gotten a makeover.
Since his indictment, Trump’s site has transformed from a traditional campaign website with tabs for issues like “Restore Public Safety,” “Secure America’s Borders,” and “Economic Prosperity for All” to an all-fundraising landing page. “As the never-ending witch hunts heat up, please make a contribution to defend our movement and SAVE America,” the personal appeal from Trump reads.
The unprecedented nature of Trump’s indictment has reoriented his campaign around a new message of political persecution. “We are living through the darkest chapter of American history,” read several of his campaign’s Facebook ads now running. Who needs to promote an issues page at a time like this?
Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and pleaded not guilty. During his remarks tonight at Mar-a-Lago, his first since being arraigned, he called it “an insult to our country” before offering prebuttals to other investigations he’s now facing. “I never thought anything like this could happen in America,” he said.
Trump’s campaign said it raised more than $4 million in just the 24 hours following news of the charges alone, and while Trump was inside the Manhattan courthouse, Meta’s Ad Library showed his campaign running as much as $60,000 worth of ads reaching about 800,000 to 900,000 impressions. The ads emphasize the historic nature of the charges and some of the ads promote a “Trump Gold Card” supporters can get for donating.
The campaign has also rolled out new merchandise that signals the latest phase of the 2024 race. An “I Stand with Trump” tee now on sale has the date of the indictment.
Without an actual mugshot (a mugshot was not taken because Trump is well known and not considered a significant flight risk, and taking one would have added logistical challenges to his arraignment, according to the New York Times), the campaign is nevertheless selling an “Official Trump Mugshot” tee with a fake mugshot showing a fake height and the words “Not Guilty.” The newest iteration of the MAGA hat now comes with a “45-47” stitched on the side, using a dash and not a comma.
Some of the new items showcase Trump’s line of attack against President Joe Biden, like shirts knocking the president as “Beijing Biden” or another that says “Joe Biden Owes Me Gas Money.” Others items for sale are self referential, like the “Trump was right” yard signs and “2024” bumper stickers that use the box-and-stars from Trump’s logo. In the “Again!” tees, the “Make America Great” is implied.
Trump’s lead in the Republican primary has grown in polling since news of the criminal charges broke. A Reuters-Ipsos poll released Monday found 48% of self-described Republicans want Trump as their 2024 nominee, up from 44% last month, while support for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has slipped from 30% to 19%.
Trump’s indictment has won him the sympathy and support of some Republicans as support for his candidacy grows. General election voters, however, feel differently, with 60% of U.S. adults saying they support the indictment, according to a CNN poll released Monday.
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