Trump to resume in-person fundraising in June with safety checks

President Trump is set to resume in-person fundraising events as he tries to jump-start efforts to boost his White House campaign after a months-long pause on many election activities due to the coronavirus outbreak.

A campaign official confirmed to The Hill that the president is scheduled to host a June 11 fundraiser in Dallas and a June 13 outdoor event at his golf club in Bedminster, N.J. Approximately 25 people are expected to attend each event as the campaign tries to observe social distancing and other safety guidelines. 

To enter, attendees will have to test negative for the virus on the day of the event, complete a health questionnaire and pass a temperature screening. Both sites will be cleaned and sanitized prior to the fundraisers. 

The White House medical unit and Secret Service will conduct the evaluations, and Trump Victory, the president’s joint fundraising committee, will pay for the tests. 

Couples will have to donate $580,600 to attend the Dallas fundraiser, while one attendee for the New Jersey event will need to contribute $250,000. 

Trump’s fundraisers come as he has pushed the country to reopen following the COVID-19 outbreak. The president has started making trips to key swing states such as Arizona, Florida and Michigan and is urging governors to roll back restrictions on businesses in their states.

Trump has also expressed a desire to resume his raucous campaign rallies, his method of choice to connect with voters, though it’s unclear when such large gatherings will be permitted again.

Republicans are currently pressing North Carolina to allow the party’s convention to proceed as planned in August, though state health officials have requested information on what steps the party plans to take to ensure attendees’ safety.

Trump’s campaign has emphasized the president’s craving to reopen the country, releasing a one-minute advertisement titled “American Comeback” this month centered around efforts to jump-start the lagging economy.

However, health officials have warned that relaxing safety guidelines too quickly could risk a resurgence of coronavirus cases.

Trump’s fundraising schedule was abruptly halted  after he scrapped a March 12 event with GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has also canceled his in-person events. 

Still, the president has been able to tap into an expansive network of small-dollar donors to boost his campaign coffers, raising a combined $61.7 million in April with the Republican National Committee.