Trump’s courting of big donors poses major corruption dangers, experts warn

Ex-president has pledged regulatory changes and other policies to boost big donors’ businesses, watchdogs say

As Donald Trump has ramped up fundraising from mega-donors for his 2024 presidential campaign and allied Super Pacs, he has increasingly pledged regulatory changes and other policies to boost their businesses, campaign-finance watchdogs have warned.

Experts say Trump’s political pitches and maneuverings are a clearly “transactional” chase for big checks, and pose a serious danger of major corruption in a US political system already flooded with powerful donors and lobbyists.

Trump’s transactional fundraising style has accelerated, and is underscored by his intense efforts to corral backing and big checks from Elon Musk – the billionaire who owns the social media platform X and is worth $263bn– plus fossil-fuel and crypto currency moguls, while dangling favorable federal policies and perks, say critics.

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