Trump, Republicans try to score campaign donations off fed indictment news

Donald Trump isn’t wasting time using his recent indictment on federal felony charges to score campaign cash from donors, and GOPers — friends and rivals alike — are following the ex-commander in chief’s lead.

The former president – who was charged in Miami federal court Thursday with unlawfully keeping hundreds of classified government documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate after leaving the White House – has sent out a series of e-mail blasts over the past few days through his Trump 2024 campaign fund attempting to secure donations from sympathetic supporters.

“What the Biden Department of Justice has done to me is downright un-American – and I will fight this until the end to ensure we PREVAIL,” says one mass email fired out Saturday morning.

“I could throw in the towel tomorrow, close down my 2024 presidential campaign, and all charges against me would be magically dropped! But I wouldn’t just be turning my back on our campaign. I would be turning my back on our county,” adds the email, while asking for a “contribution to peacefully stand by my side in our mission to SAVE AMERICA.”

In an earlier campaign email blast from, Trump boasted, “No matter how viscously they attack me, I will NEVER, EVER SURRENDER our country to the radical Left – and I will NEVER end this presidential campaign that puts you first.”

Former New Jersey Governor and presidential candidate Chris Christie, one of the few prominent Republicans who’ve spoken out against Trump following the indictment, is also trying to make fast campaign bucks off the ex-president’s legal mess.

The “Tell It Like It Is” Super PAC supporting Christie sent out a text blast to many registered voters quipping, “What’s in Trump’s Shower? According to reports … sensitive classified documents.”

“Enough is enough.  Make sure the GOP doesn’t lose to Biden again,” the text also says. “Get Chris Christie, the QUALIFIED candidate, on the debate stage so he can take on the Don.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a former Trump adversary who now supports him, isn’t even running for president again — but he, too, is using the indictment to try boosting his own re-election campaign.

In a text message blast seeking donations, Cruz accuses Attorney General Merrick Gartland of “corrupt[ing] the FBI “ and turning the Department of Justice “into an arm of the Democratic National Committee … to try and crush President Trump.”

“We can’t allow this – help me fight back right now,” the text message says.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, New York’s top House Republican, is also fundraising off Trump’s bad news.

Stefanik sent out a fundraising email saying, “RUSH A DONATION TO OUR OFFICIAL TRUMP DEFENSE FUND TO STAND WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP.”

However, the email’s fine print shows nearly all money raised is set up to go to Stefanik, according to the Huffington Post.

The indictment is Trump’s second since leaving office and marks the first time in US history a former president has faced federal charges.

In April, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg related to hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election. 

As of the first of quarter of this year, Trump had raised about $14.4 million for his main presidential campaign committee – with donations surging at the end of March after news broke of his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury, CNN reported.