- The former president is squeezing people to pay for a new ‘Trump Force One’ after his plane made an emergency landing over the weekend
Donald Trump’s plane made an emergency landing on Saturday following his speech at a Republican National Committee event in New Orleans (the one where he mused about bombing Russia with planes disguised to look like they were from China). The Florida-bound plane, which was owned by a GOP donor, was reportedly in the air for around half an hour when one of its engines failed, forcing it to head back to New Orleans.
The news of emergency landing didn’t break until Wednesday, and after it did Trump’s Save America PAC blasted a question to supporters:
“DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE NEW TRUMP FORCE ONE?”
“Do you remember Trump Force One?” the email reads. “Before becoming the greatest President of all time, I traveled the Country in my plane, known as Trump Force One. I have a very important update on my plane but I need to trust that you won’t share it with anyone: my team is building a BRAND NEW Trump Force One.”
The email blast didn’t allude to the emergency landing, but did include all of the typical language about how “the future of our Country is at stake” and Trump is “calling on all Patriots to join his fight to save America.” The box making a donation recur month-to-month was pre-checked.
Trump has long been known for aggressive and often shady fundraising tactics. Trump and the Republican Party even had to return nearly $13 million in donations last year to donors who unwittingly signed up for recurring monthly donations. The refunds haven’t dissuaded the Save America PAC from keeping its foot on the gas, to the point that Republicans are starting to get irritated. Axios reported last month that some feel the onslaught of spam emails from Trump is burning out donors who may otherwise be inclined to give to GOP candidates who need a little more financial assistance than the former president.
Trump’s dubious fundraising tactics have worked for Trump, at least. He entered 2022 with $122 million in cash on hand, more than double the total in the RNC’s reserves.
First published in Rolling Stone, https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-force-one-fundraising-plane-emergency-lands-1319361/