Key Takeaways:
– Former President Donald Trump has reportedly changed his views on several key policies to woo wealthy donors.
– Trump has altered his stance on cryptocurrency, now supporting it despite previously calling it a ‘scam against the dollar.’
– The tobacco industry has strongly supported Trump despite his public stance against smoking.
– Trump has warmed up to the idea of legalizing recreational marijuana, a shift from his 2015 opposition.
– Even with questionable public views about the app, he started soliciting donations from a TikTok investor.
Trump’s Policy Swings for Accumulated Campaign Funds
Former President Donald Trump, running for a second term, seems to have flipped his stances on critical issues to attract more campaign funding. Reports indicate Trump’s campaign has become highly transactional, changing his beliefs to match those of wealthy campaign donors
Switch on Cryptocurrency: From Scam to a Big Yes
Trump, in a significant policy turnaround, now supports cryptocurrency. Earlier, he had called crypto a ‘scam’ that was only good for encouraging illegal activities. Now, however, he’s painting himself as a ‘crypto president.’ This change happened while he was wooing the tech industry tycoons at San Francisco fundraisers.
The results seem to reflect the success of his new stance. A pro-Trump PAC, for instance, received cryptocurrency donations equating to over $7 million USD since just June. Critics claim that Trump appears to trade any policy for sufficient campaign donations.
Tobacco Industry Support Despite Anti-Smoking Stance
Despite Trump’s public anti-smoking stance, he receives strong support from the tobacco industry. Specifically, RAI Services Company, a subsidiary of the tobacco giant Reynolds American, has contributed around $8.5 million to Trump’s main super PAC. While he hasn’t clearly opposed a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes by President Joe Biden’s administration, he does seem to be warming up to the concept of legalized recreational marijuana.
Trump Backs Florida Cannabis Ballot
Trump, who was anti-legalization in 2015, has endorsed a Florida ballot measure that could legalize the controlled sale of recreational cannabis. Voters in Florida, Trump’s new home state, are currently contemplating this measure.
Soliciting Donation from TikTok Investor
Quite surprisingly, Trump has also flipped his views on social media app TikTok—he had been quite critical of it in the past—to attract donations from Jeff Yass, a top investor in TikTok’s parent firm, ByteDance. Yass, a familiar supporter of Republican causes, has yet to declare any contributions to Trump. However, he’s donated approximately $6 million to two GOP-aligned super PACs supporting other Republican candidates.
Dancing to the Tune of Billion-Dollar Industries
Billion-dollar industries and wealthy donors seem to be the puppeteers of Trump’s presidential candidacy. For instance, he hosted oil executives and lobbyists at his Mar-a-Lago estate, promising them favorable policies in exchange for $1 billion in campaign contributions.
Reports suggest that provided he wins the upcoming election, oil industry leaders have a list of executive orders ready for Trump to sign once he assumes office—a clear indication of his willingness to bend his policies to fit the desires of wealthy donors.
In conclusion, Donald Trump’s campaign seems driven by the tastes and preferences of his deep-pocketed donors. Only time will tell if this highly transactional approach will pay off in the upcoming elections.