Former President Donald Trump's campaign is using GoFundMe to rally its network of deep-pocketed backers and everyday donors around the survivors of his July assassination attempt and Hurricane Helene's destruction , bucking more traditional avenues of emergency relief.
The two high-profile fundraisers - organized by the Republican nominee's national finance director - have drawn more than 14 million. They do not violate campaign finance laws, according to legal experts. Nor is the campaign allowed to pocket any proceeds for its own political ends a GoFundMe spokesperson told The Associated Press that the majority of the Butler, Pennsylvania funds have been disbursed.
But the use of a crowdfunding platform marks an unorthodox response to crises from a political campaign. Never before has a major party's presidential candidate turned to the for-profit company - which usually features desperate appeals for help covering tuition costs or medical bills - to mobilize their base toward outside charitable causes.
"It's pretty unusual and actually quite odd," said Brett Kappel, a longtime campaign finance attorney with Harmon Curran who has advised both Republicans and Democrats.
It's more typical to see candidates contribute campaign funds to IRS-approved nonprofits during natural disasters, Kappel said. He pointed to Federal Election Commission filings that show U.S. Sen. Tim Scott's 2022 campaign gave to the American Red Cross after Hurricane Ian hit South Carolina.
