Former President Donald J. Trump’s presidential campaign has issued a letter to Republican vendors outlining guidelines for using his name, image, and likeness in campaign materials. Candidates are required to send at least 5 percent of donations they receive to Mr. Trump’s campaign in order to use his branding.
This move effectively establishes a tax on utilizing the Trump brand for campaign purposes, as Mr. Trump aims to bridge a significant financial gap between himself and his Democratic rival, President Biden. The Biden campaign reported $192 million in cash on hand at the end of March, compared to Trump and the Republican Party’s $93 million.
The campaign’s spokeswoman, Danielle Alvarez, emphasized the importance of protecting small-dollar donors from scammers who exploit the president’s name and likeness. Additionally, the campaign is tightening control over campaign materials using Mr. Trump’s name to prevent the use of strident language in donor appeals.
The letter also includes messaging guidelines aimed at treating donors with respect and warns of consequences for vendors whose candidates do not adhere to the new rules. The campaign encourages Republican candidates to exceed the 5 percent minimum donation requirement, with higher splits being viewed favorably by the R.N.C. and President Trump’s campaign.
Any violations of the guidelines may result in the suspension of business relationships with the Trump campaign and the national party, as stated in the letter, which was reported by Politico.
