Donald Trump took to his social media accounts to protest Biden’s recent exit from the presidential race, asking whether RNC funds would be reimbursed due to campaign changes.
Biden Bows Out, to Trump’s Disappointment
President Joe Biden has announced his decision to remove himself from the 2024 presidential race despite being the Democratic frontrunner, and former president Donald Trump is not happy.
Trump Built Campaign Around Biden
After spending “time and money on fighting Crooked Joe Biden,” Trump believes that campaign funds he spent specifically running against the current president should be reimbursed.
Strong Claims Against the President
Going so far as to accuse Biden of fraud, Trump claims that his opponent never intended to be on the general election ballot.
“Now We Have to Start All Over Again,” Says Trump
“Now we have to start all over again. Shouldn’t the Republican Party be reimbursed for fraud in that everybody around Joe, including his doctors and the Fake News Media, knew he was not capable of running for, or being, President?” Trump wrote on social media.
No Refunds Are Likely
There is no precedent or justification for any campaign funds spent thus far to be reimbursed. While Trump and his campaign team may have focused their efforts on an anti-Biden message, that was done without Biden having even been named the official democratic nominee.
Trump’s Social Media Rant
In a series of posts all from the same day, Trump derided Biden and accused him of lying about his health for an excuse to bow out of the race.
Trump on Biden’s “Total Mental, Physical, and Cognitive Demise”
Focusing mostly on Biden’s “total mental, physical, and cognitive demise,” Trump claimed that the Biden camp knew from the beginning of the campaign that the president was incapable of serving a second term.
“[Biden] Wanted to Get Out Ever Since June 27th,” Says Trump
“Does anybody really believe that Crooked Joe had COVID?,” Trump wrote. “No, he wanted to get out ever since June 27th, the night of The Debate, where he was completely obliterated.”
“Joe Biden is Not Fit to Serve”
“That was the big moment in Joe Biden’s demise,” the former president continued. “That was the point in time when Joe was revealed for what he is, an incompetent man who should never have been President. Joe Biden is not fit to serve – he is destroying our country!”
Both Candidates Received Criticism After Debate
After the debate referenced in Trump’s posts, both candidates received widespread criticism for their performances. Calling each other names such as “loser” and “sucker” and spending time in a heated argument about their golfing skills, Trump and Biden seemed more interested in personal attacks than debating political issues.
Biden’s Confusion
During the debate, Biden appeared to lose focus several times, trailing off mid-sentence and making statements that were not relevant to the topic at the time.
Democrats’ Waning Faith in Biden
Afterwards, many of Biden’s remaining supporters lost faith in his ability to win the election, and calls for him to step down began increasing.
Preparing a Different Kind of Campaign
Now, Trump’s campaign seems to be operating in a panicked state to come up with a new strategy for beating Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris, who announced her official run shortly after Biden backed down, is now the de facto Democratic nominee, and Biden has endorsed her.
Trump Unsure How to Win Against Harris
Trump’s team looked forward to facing the election against Biden, whose cognitive state and age made him an easy opponent, as far as conservatives were concerned. But renewed energy in the Democratic camp now that Harris has stepped up has caused Republican anxiety.
Harris’s Youth and Moderate Views Work in Her Favor
Harris, who is 59, is markedly younger than either Trump (78) or Biden (81), and brings with her a record that moderates have shown interest in. Her background in law enforcement is a strike against her in some leftist circles, but not for liberals, moderates, and undecided Republicans.
Can Harris Use Biden Campaign Funds?
The main push for Democrats eyeing Harris as the new nominee is the fact that she alone may be able to utillize the already-accumulated funds raised for the Biden campaign, since she was on Biden’s ticket.
How Unused Funds Will Disperse
For any other Democratic nominee, those funds – which add up to over $200 million – would not be accessible, and fundraising efforts would have to start from scratch, adding a new set of complications to the race.
Trump Challenges Harris’s Use of Funds
Her entitlement to the money is being challenged, by Trump among other Republicans, so it remains to be seen if she will be able to use it in her campaign. But experts agree that Trump’s push for Republican funds to be refunded as a result of Biden’s exit will likely go unanswered.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Evan El-Amin.
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