President Trump is reportedly creating a leadership political action committee, aiming to boost Republican candidates and lawmakers when his term ends in January.
The New York Times reported an announcement of the PAC might come as soon as this week, citing Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh who said the idea has been considered for a while.
“The president always planned to do this, win or lose,” Murtaugh said, “so he can support candidates and issues he cares about, such as combating voter fraud.”
Trump has long alleged voter fraud was a problem, due to increased mail-in voting in the 2020 election, even before several media outlets announced Democratic challenger Joe Biden as the presumptive winner last week. Many of the president’s accusations have been fact-checked and provide little evidence of widespread fraud.
PACs can accept up to $5,000 annually per donor. A leadership PAC, which is formed and controlled by a political candidate or officeholder, can accept donations from an unlimited number of people, and from other traditional PACs.
Leadership PACs can also spend an unlimited amount on independent expenditures to help other candidates, such as funding travel, polling, and consultants.
Though some advisers have alluded to a possible 2024 run for Trump, other strategists say the president will likely stay behind the scenes when he departs but will be able to maintain his unique brand on the future of the GOP.
“President Trump is not going anywhere anytime soon,” said Matt Gorman, a Republican strategist. “He’s going to insert himself in the national debate in a way that’s unlike any of his predecessors.”
