Donald Trump sent a message to his supporters on Monday that seemed to announce he was suspending his reelection campaign, but it actually turned out to be a fundraising attempt for April Fools' Day.
The former Republican president, who is trying to remove his Democrat rival Joe Biden from the White House in November's election, sent the sudden message declaring “I’m suspending my campaign” to supporters by email and text, along with a link.
But when people clicked on it, they were directed to a website asking them to donate money to his campaign.
“Did you really think I’d suspend my campaign? Happy April Fools Day!” he wrote in capital letters.
The Biden team quickly responded with a comment about Trump's supposed lack of activity.
“Trump hasn’t campaigned in 16 days. So not sure what the difference is,” said Biden campaign staffer Ammar Moussa.
For years, US political candidates have pursued small donors, bombarding supporters with messages, emails, and phone calls — sometimes over a dozen a day — asking them to contribute financially to the cause.
By doing so, they can collect millions of dollars, which is a crucial source of money in a country where a presidential campaign can cost billions of dollars.
However, the flood of appeals compels candidates to be more creative in order to stand out.
Trump frequently discusses his legal problems, accusing the Biden administration of trying to imprison him, even though he doesn't provide any evidence for his allegations.
Currently, the Biden campaign is leading in fundraising, which it is enjoying by referring to Trump as “Broke Don,” a derogatory nickname favored by Trump himself.
AFP
