Karl Rove asks: ‘What will Donald Trump do with his campaign cash?’

Karl Rove, former White House deputy chief of staff in the George W. Bush administration, asks in a Wall Street Journal op-ed what former President Trump will do with the $121 million in cash he has raised with his political action committees (PAC). 

Rove points out that Trump has raised more than $121 million between his four PACs: Save America, Make America Great Again, Again! Inc., Trump Make America Great Again PAC and Make America Great Again Action.

As of June 30, Save America alone had the most cash on hand at $103.1 million, he notes, adding that the money Trump raised could not be used for his own presidential campaign if he makes another run for the White House in 2024.

“One option off the table is converting that money to a Trump presidential campaign, according to federal election lawyers,” Rove writes. “If Mr. Trump decides he must upstage the midterms and announce this fall rather than waiting, he’ll immediately need to file a new committee for his presidential campaign to pay his political expenses.”

Rove writes that Trump could financially support candidates he has endorsed, but “he hasn’t shown much interest in that so far.”

Trump, who is limited to $5,000 donations, has so far given $365,000 to candidates he has endorsed.

“​​One way to use more of this money is through independent expenditures on behalf of candidates, but Mr. Trump hasn’t devoted much cash to that either,” Rove writes. 

Among the candidates and groups he has supported with those independent expenditures include a Georgia group looking to oust Gov. Brian Kemp (R) that received $2.6 million, he notes.

Rove adds that Trump could also be using his money to help candidates who have been severely outraised by their Democratic opponents, such as Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance.

“If Mr. Trump doesn’t start actually deploying these funds to help candidates he’s backed for Congress, governor and other statewide offices, donors might not keep giving to the former president’s causes. Trump-endorsed candidates might start to wonder how strong an ally the former president really is, beyond lending his name in a primary,” Rove writes. 

“Many Republicans running are parroting Mr. Trump’s views, especially his discredited claims about the 2020 election. We’ll soon see if he backs those who’ve backed him—and how they fare if he does,” he concludes.