Trump campaign, GOP has raised at least $ 170 million since polling day pushing baseless election fraud allegations

Much of that money was used to pay down election debt and fund Trump’s new PAC.

Since polling day, President Donald Trump’s campaign has raised more than $ 170 million by relentlessly pushing baseless allegations that the 2020 election was stolen and rigged, multiple sources confirmed to ABC News.

This massive figure is in part the result of a surge in donations of small dollars after the election as the team bombards supporters with messages that push false and unfounded claims that the election was rigged, said a source familiar to ABC News.

Under the name “Election Defense Fund,” the president’s joint fundraising committee and the Republican Party has raised millions of dollars since the election, but much of that money, according to the fine print on the pages of donations, was actually helpful. pay off the election debt or fund a new political action committee launched by the president to continue to exert influence over the Republican Party.

A recent fundraising appeal from Trump’s team noted that “75% of every contribution” goes first to Save America, a leadership PAC launched by the president just days after the election. The leadership PAC, typically formed by current and former political figures often with the goal of advancing their political influence, could be used to fuel Trump’s post-presidential political activities ahead of a possible run in 2024. This potentially includes paying for fundraisers or other political events that may continue to take place at Trump hotels and resorts, as well as potentially fund Republican colleagues in Congress.

The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment, and Save America treasurer Brad Crate, who also serves as the Trump campaign treasurer, also did not immediately. responded to ABC News’ request for comment.

The sum is an astonishing fundraiser after the election and for a campaign which retained only a small staff and which for the most part halted operations beyond numerous frivolous lawsuits across the country disputing the results of the elections which were almost all rejected out of court.

After the election, the campaign launched a relentless e-mail and SMS effort to raise funds claiming that the election was “rigged” or “stolen” and urging millions of supporters to donate to ” Election Defense Fund “.

Since polling day, the Trump campaign has sent over 425 emails and over 125 text messages urging supporters to donate.

“Our critical month-end deadline is TONIGHT,” urged supporters in a recent Trump campaign email, weeks after the election. “This is our MOST IMPORTANT deadline EVER, but I noticed you haven’t stepped up to help us crush it.”

Some of the Trump campaign’s post-election activity is expected to be disclosed later this week. On December 3, the Trump campaign is expected to file its post-election report with the Federal Election Commission, which would disclose its fundraising and spending until November 23, three weeks after the election.