GOP candidates seeking to fundraise at Mar-a-Lago have to pay a fee and fill out a form to request Trump's presence and get a photo with him, report says

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GOP candidates seeking to fundraise at Mar-a-Lago have to pay a fee and fill out a form to request Trump's presence and get a photo with him, report says
Trump at Mar-a-Lago in 2019, during his presidency.Tom Brenner/Reuters
  • GOP candidates seeking to book a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago must pay high fees and fill out a form to do so.
  • The form asks if Trump's presence is requested at the event and how many photos the candidate wants with Trump.
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Republican candidates seeking to book a fundraiser at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida must fill out a form requesting Trump's presence at the event, how many photos they would like to take with him, and if his name should be on the invitation, according to a copy of the form obtained by The Washington Post.

Trump's private club then informs the Republican candidate of how much it would cost to host their fundraiser there. Two political consultants who have planned events at Mar-a-Lago said the price runs high, but the cost is worth it for some one-on-one time with Trump, The Post reported on Thursday. The exact amount of those fees remains unclear.

So far in 2021, Trump's properties have hosted at least 30 events for Republican candidates and conservative groups, per The Post. That's more than the 13 events The Post counted in 2020, most of which were paid for by Trump's 2020 reelection campaign, rather than out of the candidate's pocket.

The events serve to boost the candidate's popularity and hopefully even snag a Trump endorsement ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, The Post reported.

"When it comes to raising money for Republican causes and candidates, there are only two seasons that matter: Bedminster season and Mar-a-Lago season," a Trump spokesman told The Post, referring to Trump's Bedminster property in New Jersey. "Through the dozens of fundraisers that will be held at Mar-a-Lago this season, the Trump property and Trump brand will continue to fuel the MAGA wave ahead of the midterms."

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Some Republican candidates who have held fundraisers at Trump's properties have received the former president's endorsement. The list compiled by The Post includes his former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, vying to become governor of Arkansas, former aide Max Miller, running for a House seat in Ohio, and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks, both of whom are seeking reelection.

Trump's properties have so far raised $463,000 in revenue from just nine events that have been disclosed in federal campaign finance reports, with the number expected to increase as more reporting is released, per The Post.

"He can bring people to the table who will write checks," Sen. Lindsey Graham told The Post. "He has real juice."

The Trump Organization did not immediately return Insider's request for comment.

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