Trump quickly fundraises off judge's contempt ruling in hush money case

Donald Trump’s campaign immediately sought to capitalize after the judge in his New York criminal trial ruled him in contempt of court — the latest example of how the former president’s campaign has flipped negative legal developments into a financial boost for his reelection bid.

“A Democrat judge JUST HELD ME IN CONTEMPT OF COURT!” read a Tuesday morning email soliciting donations for Trump National Committee, a joint fundraising committee that includes Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee.

The email continued: “I was fined $9,000 for 9 gag order violations. THEY WANT TO SILENCE ME! They think they can BLEED ME DRY and SHUT ME UP, but I’ll NEVER stop fighting for YOU.” The email included a link to donate.

The email came just hours after Justice Juan Merchan ruled that nine social media posts and statements from Trump violated a gag order imposed in his New York criminal case, ordering him to pay $1,000 per violation and threatening Trump could end up in jail if the violations continue.

The contempt ruling is a flashpoint for Trump, who has long used his legal troubles as motivation for fundraising. Ordering Trump to pay a fine for gag order violations is one of the more significant rulings against Trump since the trial began, and gives the former president fresh ammunition to rail against the legal system and his political opponents. It’s also a clear and simple message that can be more easily understood by supporters than appeals based on complex legal motions: They’re trying to silence me.

It's a sentiment that Republicans see gaining traction with voters.

“Michael Cohen and all these other people can trash the president online and the president can’t defend himself? It’s an unfairness. And ultimately, Americans like fairness,” said Dave Carney, a longtime Republican consultant.

Fundraising groups linked to Trump send about half a dozen emails each day that aim to raise money for his campaign. Many in the past few weeks have touched on his ongoing trial — complaining to supporters about how he is unable to campaign due to his court appearances, calling out lead prosecutor Alvin Bragg by name, referring to the ordeal as a “sham Biden trial,” directing supporters to watch televised remarks he has made outside the courthouse, and suggesting he might wear the latest Make America Great Again hat to court.

Trump is already a fairly prolific fundraiser, but moments of legal jeopardy have driven some of his best fundraising in the past.

In March, his campaign got a big spike in donations after New York Attorney General Tish James took a step toward seizing the former president’s assets if he couldn’t make bail in a civil case. Last fall, the campaign raked in more than $4 million in a day after Trump got his mug shot taken in Georgia, where he faces charges related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

Later Tuesday afternoon, Trump's team took out ads on X (formerly known as Twitter), pointing out that a contempt violation isn't something former presidents typically have to deal with. "This has never happened before in HISTORY!" the ad said.

Trump is “maximizing the opportunity cost” of the situation, energizing his base by “continuing to spin the narrative that he is a victim of everything that he has done” and potentially reactivating small-dollar donors, said Matthew Bartlett, a Republican consultant and former Trump administration appointee.

“It might be $9,000 in additional court fees,” Bartlett said. “But it will probably nicely pad the campaign coffers.”